The next morning Niel woke up alone. He couldn't exactly remember what had happened the other day as his nightmare was engraved on his mind. It was the only thing he could think about as he put on some clothes that were apparently laid out for him. Niel missed his brother and felt like he could have done something to prevent it. After all his failures, not being able to keep his brother alive was one of his biggest failures, according to the younger brother. You are a failure, was chanting through his head.
Niel had to do something. Trying to get that sense of guilt, a sense of failure somehow out of his mind. He needed to do something. Something!
When fully dressed he had one mission: finding Atlas. Without a second thought, he stormed out of his room, forgetting two huge warriors of werewolves were guarding his door. Shocked by the sudden movement both men immediately straighten their backs and shared a look of confusion when Niel passed them. When they noticed the boy walked off they scrambled after him.
"You need to get back, we haven't heard officially yet everything is safe." One of them said.
Niel ignored them. First, he entered the kitchen, then the dining room, and the living room, and when Niel still hadn't found him he had only one place in his mind. His study.
The moment the warriors notice the head in the direction of the future Luna they started to intervene. "The Alpha is not available yet... Hey!"
"Boy, we are talking to you. The Alpha is in a meeting." The warriors wanted to grab the teenager and drag him to his room. Only they didn't get any kind of permission for such treatment towards the Alpha's mate and they couldn't ask because of said meeting.
Niel again ignored them and stormed inside the office. Beta Levi and the former Alpha's were in a serious conversation with Atlas when they say him enter. Before they could object Niel spoke loud and clearly, "I want to go home."
Of course, this didn't sat well with the Alpha. "Niel, if you don't mind, we are in a meeting here. I will talk to you later."
"I do mind. I want to go home. Now." Determination was written all over Niel. Never in his life he felt so confident and assured of himself.
Atlas stood up. "Even if the situation would have been normal, which it is not, you know the rule. You can't leave."
"I don't care. This is my life and you have nothing on me, I want, no, I need to go home." Desperation started slowly seeping through Niel's voice. The big guy noticed the small change. He politely asked the other wolves to leave his office so he could have a more private conversation with his now very disobedient mate.
"Othniel, there is something you need to know and maybe I should have explained this to you sooner, but you have no authority here in any sense. It is true an Alpha and Luna are equals to each other, but you aren't part of the pack yet. Hence, why you have no authority or say in what's happening to you or any other regards. Besides all of this, there is another matter at hand."
Atlas walked around his desk, slowly stalking Niel. "There were three rogues seen around the pack borders, two dead, one captured. For now everything looks fine, but we don't know if it was just them or if there are others nearby. Before we have the green light everyone has to stay put in there homes, meaning you too."
When the last words left his mouth he stood right in front of his mate, who now gulped. Niel's determination slowly crumbled and was replaced by insecurity and fear, but the small but annoying voice in the back of his head still whispered to him, you are a failure.
"Please, I need to go home." Niel spoke lowly.
Atlas softened when noticing the vulnerability that his mate was showing to him. It almost felt like Niel was showing his neck as a sign of submission the way his head was hanging low. "Why do you need to go home?"
"Because..."
Atlas softly sighed and grabbed Niel's chin and turned his head towards his own, now they were facing each other. "Because of my brother," Came out softly. "I need to see him... and my parents as well."
The Alpha felt split. The uncertainty of the situation made the Alpha antsy about leaving the pack with his mate and the disrespect from Niel wasn't reward worthy. However, Atlas felt the pain and after last night's events he also wanted to give the boy some space.
"Let me see what I can do, but only if you listen to what I have to say."
Niel nodded his head. "Anything."
This made Atlas smile. After more than two weeks the boy finally showed some level of submission to him. "All right, I want you to go to the kitchen and eat something. When you are done I will explain the plan."
Right then a know was heard. The warriors from earlier entered and escorted the teenager to the kitchen where Rain was waiting for him. "Hey fresh meat! Looking a bit rough today, I made some pancakes. Hopefully that will cheer you up."
The young woman put a plate in front of Niel when he sat down. The boy had no appetite and politely declined. "Uh, uh, uh, strict orders from the Alpha. You have to eat or you can't go, to wherever you want to go." She waved around with the spatula in her hand.
Rain moved elegantly through the kitchen, her pitch black hair like Atlas', danced behind her as she moved around and set a plate for herself as well. It was full of pancakes, chocolate and fruit. As she pointed her finger towards Niel she warned, "Don't judge me, we werewolves eat more and pancakes are just my favorite... and I might be on my period as well." She shrugged as the sudden explanation for her sudden increasing hunger came to her mind.
When Niel had finally managed to eat almost a full pancake, Atlas entered the room and sat down as well. "So, we can go, but we can't go for long and you will have to stay by my side the whole time. Those are the conditions."
It was more than enough for Niel, the fact he could see his house for just a couple of minutes would be enough for him
As the car was driving through the thick forest, questions came to Niel's mind about some of the things the Alpha had said to him this morning. "What are rogues?"
Niel could hear from the warrior, who was currently driving the car, some low rumbling, indicating the teenager it was a sensitive subject.
"Rogues are the criminals of the supernatural world. Just like you humans lock up your evil and wicked minded we banish them into a lonely life." This didn't make a lot of sense to Niel. Why banish and let criminals be free, when you can also lock them up?
"Why banishing them?"
Atlas was searching for his words for a clear explanation. "Every kind of supernatural lives in groups, houses, covens, packs. Not one kind lives alone, some groupings are bigger than others but still it is rarely the case supernaturals live alone. But when they do, when they are banished, they are ripped apart from their connection of their group. Normally they will go insane within a couple of weeks and die shortly after that. But sometimes their insanity will turn into revenge and then you will have attacks like we have."
Niel absentmindedly nodded his head. Still not fully understanding what Atlas had meant by that, but it was an enough answer for now. As they were headed towards Niel's family home, the teenager changed his mind. He wanted to see his brother first. "Actually can you drive further towards the cemetery?"
The Alpha turned confused to his mate. The warrior had no idea what to do and looked at his superior for confirmation. Atlas slowly nodded for approval and the car had now changed destinations and headed toward the cemetery.
Once there Niel wanted to leave the car but was put at halt by his mate. "Let us check for any abnormalities than I will come get you. Stay put... Please."
After they had done their rounds for safety checks Atlas opened the car door for his mate. Slowly Niel crept out of the car, somehow what afraid he might be seen together with these people. He dusted off his pants, not knowing why. But it had calmed him.
As he looked around, looking which way they needed to go, he saw his brother's stone in the distance. Without thinking Niel made his way to his older brother's grave. The Alpha and warrior followed suit quickly, still having no idea why they were on this human cemetery.
When they came to a halt, Atlas saw immediately why upon seeing the name on the grave stone. "Family member?" He asked softly.
Niel hummed. He crouched down to touch the stone as he said a soft 'I am sorry'. It was the first time since the funeral he was at his brother's grave again. He tried to visit one time before but was snitched by Mr. Brown who living here nearby, snitching on Niel to his father. The poor boy hadn't even entered the cemetery yet and got a phone call from his father saying he had to go home right away.
"May I ask..." Atlas didn't dare to go further.
A silence fell and for a short moment Niel felt a peace being so close to his brother again. The music made by the birds, the warm breeze brushing against his skin, the sun shining not too brightly, it could have been a perfect moment.
"I don't know if you are familiar with the term transgender, but my older brother was, to be more precise, a transwoman. Of course, this didn't set well with our parents and the community when he came out unexpectedly through one of his classmates... We were shunned as a family, my brother being bullied, ignored and beaten. It broke our family apart. I think Florian couldn't carry that weight anymore and saw only one way out, suicide... I found him that day..."
Niel looked up at the sky. "I feel like I failed him." He chuckled. "Do you know what is even more fucked up?" Atlas looked at him worried. "My mom kept telling me he would probably be in heaven, while everybody else said he was in hell. But all I could think off, he is gone... As much as I try everyday to be a good Christian I can't believe in it and I feel so bad because of it."
Atlas grabbed Niel's hand and held it as a sign of support, not knowing what to say. Niel, for once, didn't reject the touch of his mate.
He embraced it.