"Hello, I’m Alex." I raised my voice, seeing as the man behind the counter hadn’t heard me at first. Caramel skin stretched across his face, his forehead obscured by fallen dreads, eyes too dramatic for their sockets yet beautiful in a way that instantly captured attention.
"I’m sorry, but I’m asking for a man named Nathan."
I was in a coffee shop, hence my hesitation. Perhaps I had read the address wrong.
"I nearly gave up on you coming." Nathan’s voice caught me off guard, unmistakable to my senses even before I turned around.
"Nathan. You’ve really got the balls, haven’t you? Still in the Pack."
"Oh, you sure know how much balls I’ve got." He teased, flashing his fangs mildly. "Of course, you’ve seen them."
"You’re a menace."
"And something tells me you didn’t come here just to insult me again." His voice tightened there, hinting at his irritation.
As though neither of us existed, the man behind the counter paid us no mind. Nathan caught my gaze and tilted his head toward a corner.
Following him, we settled by the window overlooking the opposite street. The sun had finally set, leaving streaks of orange bleeding into dark clouds, while the glass reflected passing headlights from the road outside.
I almost got lost in Nathan’s heterochromatic eyes, one blue and the other green, his features sharp and sculpted like something carved by the Greek gods themselves. He was a magnificent creature, undoubtedly favored by the Moon Goddess, and perhaps that charm had once been what trapped me.
Until he chose darkness. Until his actions nearly destroyed me.
"I’ve not come to rekindle old memories, but for what you know. How do you know about my dreams and Aetherblood? What does it mean?"
Nathan sighed and leaned back. He took his time ordering pizza and black coffee for us, whereas I remained entirely uninterested.
With his arms folded across his chest, he finally turned serious. "The royal bloodline has been hunting you and your ancestors for centuries. That’s why I’ve come back. To help you."
Stirred, I leaned forward, arms resting on the table between us, chin propped against my folded hands. "What do you mean?"
"A very long time ago, wolves existed in different forms. There were those who could bend nature to their will. Gifted like that, they were called Witch Wolves. These wolves were Omegas, and because of how influential they became in society, they played vital roles in politics, decision making, and leadership. Every Alpha who ruled back then believed those Omegas were destined to be their fated mates."
He paused, letting the details settle into me. "That’s where the belief in fated mates originated."
"So, what happened?" Creases deepened beneath my eyes as I tried making sense of his explanation.
"Then Kai’s bloodline rose as Alpha Kings, and they shattered everything. When it came to your parents, they hid you in order to protect you from suffering at the hands of the throne while they faced execution themselves."
"You’re not exactly making sense," I scoffed, blinking rapidly as though my mind suddenly refused to process anything further.
"Kai’s father killed your parents to erase your bloodline. If they discovered you survived, they’d kill you too. Being with Kai is dangerous because the moment he learns about your dreams and awakening powers as Aetherblood, you become a threat."
The chair scraped loudly against the floor as I shoved it back. I wanted to stand, but my legs felt weak enough to betray me.
This couldn’t be true, could it?
"If you don’t believe me, there are scrolls that speak of this truth. Find out who you really are. Reconnect with your bloodline, and you’ll uncover everything yourself." He spoke with unwavering confidence.
"When I was banished, I became the adviser of Alpha Marcellan."
The mention of that name knocked the air from my lungs, forcing me several steps away from him.
"That’s our rival. You chose to join a rival pack?"
"What was I supposed to do? Die as a rogue? No. I’d rather go where my gifts are valued." He claimed, moving closer.
"I... I can’t believe anything you say, Nathan. I don’t..." I paused, trying to steady myself. "I should leave. Thanks."
Turning away, his words froze me in place.
"Your powers are awakening, and the dreams won’t stop. I can help you control them, or you can let your parents die in vain."
"You don’t get to decide for me."
Nathan closed the distance between us. "How long are you going to stay stubborn? Until the voice in your dreams drives you insane? Until Kai betrays you? Until your savings run dry and, as an Omega, you still can’t find work? Until reality folds you into itself and tosses you wherever it pleases?"
He delivered each sentence carefully, making every word strike deeper than the last.
"I..."
"You have nothing left here, and I’m leaving tonight. You can either come with me and take the risk, or stay behind and be reduced to nothing."
When Nathan finished speaking, he looked as though he truly didn’t care anymore. As though he’d already exhausted every effort and believed there was nothing else left to say.
An hour later, I still found myself sitting inside the coffee shop. Somehow, I couldn’t leave. It was obvious nothing waited for me here anymore. All my life, I had only ever truly had Leo, and I betrayed that friendship. I couldn’t even blame him for becoming cold toward me.
Then there was Kai. He probably didn’t even think about me anymore, considering he never reached out.
Genuinely, a part of me had expected him to come looking for me, and though I’d surely push him away, I’d still feel relieved knowing he remembered me.
In the distance, I caught sight of Nathan stepping into a cab. Hurriedly, I rushed forward, knocking against the car window while trying to catch my breath.
A ghost of a smile crossed his face as he opened the other side for me.
"So, what made you change your mind?" he asked once I settled inside.
As the car sped off, I muttered softly, my focus fixed on the night streets blurring beyond the window.
"Maybe it was time I did something for myself..." I trailed off.
And most importantly, it was time to understand my parents’ deaths... to finally know who I truly was.