Sevrane

~~~

I walked behind my father, listening to him intently as he spoke to me in low tones. I had to learn as much as I could before it was time for the mantle of Alpha to land on my shoulders. Second born son to the Nox Alpha Claim, I never thought I would be in the position that I had watched my older brother Bastian in for my entire life, but I was. A part of me has always felt a touch of jealousy towards him for it. Our parents had always spent their time on him, our father especially. I was left to my own a lot and all I wanted, all I had wished for, was to be looked at by them like they looked at him.

I had gotten my wish.

I stared at the ground as I walked, my hands behind my back. Bastian had been in a brutal car accident several months before he was to take over the pack, his female Amanda had died, he had been crippled, and suddenly all eyes had been on me. My parents knew Bastian would never be who he had been, he would always have the bad leg, the weakness that would be exploited time and time again. They sent him away to rehab with a fool's hope that if he did 'well enough' that if he 'got better' he could come home.

They had lied.

I always felt a tiny bit guilty because my brother had been broken in a way I doubted anyone could ever recover from. He had lost his female, the love of his life, and was crippled, but there had been a large part of me that liked it, that liked that I was now in his place, that our parents had given me their attention like I had always wanted. They looked at me like they used to look at him, trained me as they had trained him, were proud of me like they used to be of him and I had liked it.

Then he had come back. I hadn't been allowed to see him, they told me it was no good for him to see me as I was. But then shit went sideways, he was mated to a mundane... and Asian mundane. Which I knew probably went over like a lead fucking balloon with our parents. I didn't much care for their beliefs but not enough to say anything but the end had come soon after that. Bastian returned with his little mundane he claimed the moon tied him to and gave me his Claim to the Alpha position.

His female was... off though.

My mouth twitched slightly at the memory of how she had railed against our father. There was something that rolled underneath her skin in heated pulses that had my wolf whining with concern and worry. I hadn't liked it, hadn't understood it and then they were gone. I hadn't seen him since, didn't know if I would ever see him again. A big part of me understood that was a good thing, that if he stayed away, he couldn't ever attempt to take the position for me, but a tiny, tiny, part of me missed my brother and simply wanted things to go back to how they were before everything had happened.

A tiny part that was easily pushed way by ration, but a part none-the-less.

"One day you will be coming here without me and with your own Beta, Sev." My father's voice was a low baritone and I lifted my head and nodded. "We will be formally introducing you to the Council as my heir. The paperwork we sent in was merely words on paper. Every Alpha's heir does not have the status until they are presented to the Council." It would make it completely official. A part of me felt relieved for that, to know that Bastian would no longer have any claim on the position. I didn't need anyone who could question my own status. I was just thankful most of the pack members understood that Bastian was crippled and could never take over, that they accepted me as a suitable replacement.

"Once that is complete, you will be joining panels and negotiations with me and doing your best to remember what is being said. Everything we do here is for the good of the pack, always remember that." He said it confidently and I nodded.

"Yes, sir." I looked around as we finally came to the large door of the out of the way manor that the Hunters had procured for this year's Alpha Gathering. My heart beat hard and fast in my chest with excitement and nerves as he opened it. This was the first time I had ever been allowed to join. I had been in the position as heir for nearly two years and this was the most important first impression I could give. There was a reason my father had splurged on getting me a tailored suit and a new rolex watch.

I had looked in the mirror in the bathroom before we had left and I had looked my my father and it had made me so proud. My mother had teared up, clutching my father as she said that 'her baby was grown up and she was so proud'. It had been enough to make me want to blush. I wanted to make them proud, I wanted them to see me for me and be proud of who I became. I wouldn't mess this up, I knew I couldn't.

"The first thing that will happen is we will be given a room." My father nodded at another Alpha that returned the gesture as we moved into the grand space.

A line of Hunters spread down one wall and a solitary one stood off to one side by a table. I followed my father over to him. "Name, rank, and pack." The Hunter looked over a clipboard and My father seemed to straighten his posture.

"Sebastien DeWinters, Alpha, Nox pack." He said it smoothly and the Hunter flipped several pages on the clipboard before nodding.

"Pleased to see you join us, Alpha DeWinters." He made a check mark with a pen before looking up at my father. "Any ranked members or companions with you this year?" He glanced at me and my father stepped aside, gesturing with his hand.

"Sevrane DeWinters, Alpha's Heir, Nox pack." I said it as smoothly as my father and the hunter nodded before my father's Beta moved to stand next to me.

"Lucien Tartius, Beta, Nox pack." He sounded more than bored and I honestly didn't understand why my father really liked him as Beta, then again Lucien and I rarely got along that well. He thought was a 'young cocky upstart' who 'didn't had an ounce of sense' and I thought he needed to get over the fact that Bastian wasn't coming home. Not with his Asian mundane mate and not with that leg of his.

"Alpha DeWinters, do you want a separate room for yourself or are you willing to share?" The Hunter asked it as he wrote on his clipboard and my father rubbed his chin.

"Can we all get separate rooms?" At the question the Hunter finally looked up, he glanced between my father and eye and his eyebrow rose slightly before he shifted in his spot.

"Yes but the rooms in the Delta section are much smaller with poorer accesses to things WiFi, room service, and are further from healers in case anything were to happen." He looked at my father expectantly and he seemed to think about it before he shook his head.

"We can share. Better for me to be close to my boy here." He reached over and thumped my shoulder, grinning proudly and I lifted my chin, unable to stop the smile from crossing my face.

The Hunter simply nodded before making another check on his list. He set his clipboard down and moved to the table. He grabbed what looked to be an interact terminal machine and a stack of credit cards. "I will be putting you three in room 224. It has a lovely view of the mountains and a balcony for fresh air." He scanned three of the cards before handing them over.

My father took them before handing me one and passing one to Lucien. "Do you have the service to take our bags to our room this year?" He tucked his in his pocket as he said it and the Hunter nodded, setting the machine down.

"Certainly. Check in with Tarte over there and she will ensure your bags are put into your room without any hassle." He gestured to a female standing further inside the large foyer. Her hair was bottle blonde and she was blowing bubbles with bright pink bubble gum. My father nodded his thanks before he headed to the rather unimpressed female. I followed her, wondering just how she was going to help and why the hell she was named Tarte.

She looked between the three of us as she blew a rather big bubble and it popped. "Parking number and room number." She chewed her gum and the scent of lilacs wafted off of her so thickly it made me want to sneeze.

"Parking stall forty-six and room 224." My father didn't seem to care or notice how weird the female was.

Her eyes were a pale blue and she looked completely irritated as she nearly sneered before she waved her hand, the scent of lilacs growing stronger. "Your bags will be in your room in five minutes. If not please feel free to kiss my ass." She drawled it out and my father stiffened at the insult.

"Tarte!" The Hunter barked it out and she popped another gum bubble and rolled her eyes.

"If your suitcases aren't in your room in five minutes, please return back to me and check in again so I can find them." She gave a forced smile and my father shook his head as he walked away. I followed close behind him, my eyes narrowed. I hadn't liked her attitude or how flippantly she had treated my father. He was an Alpha, he deserved respect.

Lucien snorted slightly. "Those witches get snottier every year, don't they Seb?" He looked at my father and my father shook his head with a sound of disgust.

"You would think the Hunters would do their best to get them under control." He shook his head as he marched further into the large foyer.

I wasn't entirely sure what was going on but I hadn't understood what they had meant. "That was a witch?" I asked it carefully and my father stopped and looked at me for a moment.

"I'm sorry, my boy. You've never experienced a witch before, have you?" His eyebrows furrowed and I shook my head. "They are huge snotty bitches. The longer they have power, the more white they get. White hair, white eyes, white skin. Smell overbearingly like flowers too." He scrunched his nose and I nodded, happy he had told me rather than get upset I hadn't known what to expect.

"Get more morally ambiguous the longer they are alive as well." Lucien chimed in with the words as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Their tenants state they can't kill but some have figured out serious loopholes in that and can and will maim you for crossing them." My father's Beta looked over the foyer towards where the witch in question was and I frowned slightly.

"Then why do the Hunters use them at all?" It didn't make sense to have something like that lingering around. If they were that dangerous and morally ambiguous then I wouldn't want them anywhere near me.

"They're useful. Nothing more than a tool." My father said it rather clipped before he shook his head. "Fucking mouthy though."

"Seems standard for them. No clue why." Lucien shook his head as well and my father reached over and clapped my on the shoulder.

"Well, my boy. We are here and I think we should mingle a little. Some of these males I haven't seen in a year." He nodded at Lucien and the Beta nodded before jerking his chin towards a large group standing near the door but far away from the Hunters. "Yah, I saw them." My father's voice was clipped and he made a face of disgust. "Stay away from them, Sev. That's the Coalition. Fucking archaic assholes, they can and will do their best to use you for their own gain." I nodded at the words, carefully looking at the group to try and memorize faces to avoid.

"To be fair, after Sulo and Anto were taken out, they have been more overt about it. Those two were fucking sneaky and without them the others just can't get to that level." Lucien said it a bit conversationally and I glanced at him and my father barked out a laugh.

"When I heard Sulo was taken out by a couple wilds I fucking laughed. Fucking prick deserved it after how he used Bas-" My father cut himself off and shook his head. ""He just deserved it." He ground his teeth together and I didn't like that.

"Well if it isn't Sebastien DeWinters." At the jovial voice my father turned quickly. Another Alpha was walking over, his arms wide. "How are you doing you old fucker?" He grinned and my father returned it.

"Brucie!" He embraced the male, pounding on his back. "How is Carla and your little heir doing?" He let him go and the male nodded.

"Fucking spectacular!" He grinned and my father grabbed my shoulder, pulling me close.

"Bruce, meet Sevrane my heir. Sev, meet Alpha Bruce Linton." He looked so proud that I lifted my chin and Bruce looked me up and down, his smile a little tight as he gave it.

"So the accident..." His voice trailed off and I just knew they were talking about Bastian and it made me want to deflate slightly. I fought against it, I was the heir, I held the Alpha Claim

"He won't be returning." The words came out clipped and his grip on my shoulder grew tighter. It always pissed my father off to think about Bastian, it had been two years and it still upset him.

"It's a shame but I'm glad to meet you, Sevrane. It's a shame about your brother, he was a good male and that was some rotten luck." He shook his head, his hands on his hips. He did look a little upset at the news, as if he had liked my brother.

"Yes it was." For him. Everything after that had only helped me, had given me what I wanted.

"I'm going to try and pester the Mountain Alphas, get some news on my old Guardian. Carla will be upset if I don't." He returned to an easy grin rather quickly and Lucien made a whipping sound at him that he laughed off. "When you get a female as fine as mine, you would want to spoil her too, Lucien." He pointed at my father's Beta before turning on his head and walking away, a chuckle following him the entire time.

My father's expression darkened and Lucien grabbed his shoulder. "Don't think about it." His words were low and my father shook his head.

"I don't want to think about it, about him." He spat it out and his hands curled into fists. "He left the family and ran off with that-that-that thing. I just hope no one brings it up because I don't know if I can control what I will say." The words were a heated and I damn near flinched underneath them.

"I doubt anyone will have reason to bring it up. He has a fucked up leg and he could be anywhere by now. It's not like he's going to waltz in here, he had no reason to, not with that leg of his." Lucien kept his voice low and I nodded in agreement.

"With that leg he will be lower rank at most. This is a gathering for ranked members and heirs, the odds are against that possibility." I said it carefully and my father looked at me before giving a wry smile.

"Too true, Sev. And thanks, Lucien." He nodded at his Beta and I shifted in my spot, feeling a bit anxious for some reason.

"Oh my god!" At the high pitched squeal all three of us whirled around to look for the source. The witch Tarte had her hands up with a giant grin on her face as she seemed to dance in her spot. "She's so fucking adorable, Lynny-bear!" She was damn near screeching as she held her hands out towards a little black girl with braided hair, she was holding onto the hand of a woman with black hair. Her back was to us and my wolf shifted, whining with unease. I didn't understand the reaction he was giving and I didn't quite like it.

"Fucking witches." Lucien said it as he rolled his eyes and my father shook his head.

"Who brings a fucking kid to this?" He made a sound of disgust and I had to agree as I glanced at the group again. There was a reason father liked to keep mother at home. Some other Alphas could be assholes. So bringing a child to this type of event? It was fucking stupid.

"Yo, Sev!" At the voice I turned and spotted Aiden Marti and grinned. Aiden was one of the first Alpha heirs my father had introduced me too. He wanted me to build a foundation for a potential alliance. "Come over here and meet some other heirs!" He waved at me from next to a group and I glanced at my father, he gave me an imperceivable nod, his eyes shining with pride that made me puff up.

I lifted my hand and started towards them. "Hey, Aiden." I walked closer and Aiden held up his hand, I did the same and we clasped hands, bumping shoulders.

He let my hand go and slung his arm over my shoulder and pulled me into the small group. "Guys, this is Sevrane DeWinters, new heir to the Nox pack." I held up my hand in greeting, giving a polite smile. I felt a little nervous at the new faces but I hid it deep. I was the Alpha heir and I would act like it.

"Nice meeting you, Sevrane. I'm Jonas LaVerne." One of the guys nodded, his hair slicked back from his face.

"Call me Sev." I preferred it, it made me feel like my father and I honestly wanted to be just like him.

"Nice to meet another heir." He held out his hand and I shook it firmly.

"I'm Tomas Giannatti. Call me Toma." The tanned, dark haired guy next to Aiden said it and I held out my hand and he took it, giving it a firm shake.

"Nice to meet you, Toma." I did my best to associate the faces to the names so I wouldn't forget.

"I'm Ellis Tormond, call me Ellis." He lifted his hand in greeting, rocking his feet. I nodded at him in acknowledgement.

"Did you hear they're bringing in a mundane?" Jonas said it low as he leaned into the small circle. I blinked in shock and everyone else looked to be in disbelief.

"No fucking way." Aiden said it, his mouth opened in slight shock. I honestly felt the same expression on my own face.

Ellis shook his head, "Dead serious. One of the larger Alpha Mountains recommended this mundane to the Hunters to do panel about fighting styles." He crossed his arms over his chest, looking almost pleased that he could be the one to tell us about it.

"It's a mundane." Toma stressed the word and I extended that belief. What could a shifter learn from a mundane? It was a fucking mundane.

"Apparently this mundane knows about the supernatural world due to his wife and daughter or something. I didn't really get the details but he's like this third best in the world staff fighter." He looked almost excited before he leaned closer. "I don't know about you pricks but I'm joining the panel because I want to smack the shit out of someone with a stick." He grinned and I found myself chuckling at him.

"It could be fun." Aiden said it slowly and I had to nod. My father did say that I was supposed to build foundations for alliances and this fit the bill.

"You know what, I'm in." Jonas nodded. "Toma?" He looked at the tanned shifter and he made a slight face before nodding.

"I wanna see what this mundane can do." At the words, I had to agree. It would be interesting to see just what Alpha had recommended the mundane and just what that mundane could do.

"Fuck yah, the five of us will hop into the panel to see what the hell it's about and smack some older Alphas with sticks." Ellis looked excited about it and I found myself nodding. It would be fun.

How is it going? My father's voice came into my head and I glanced over my shoulder and he gave me an expectant look.

I've been introduced to Jonas LaVerne, Tomas Giannatti, and Ellis Tormund. We are making plans to join a panel together. I said it as confidently as I could as I looked away from him, not wanting to be caught looking at him for support.

Those are good families, I know their fathers. Good job, Sev, I'm proud of you. His words made me stand a little straighter, a little taller. That was all I had wanted in life and I was happy I had gotten it.

"Did you see the other mundane that came in?" Jonas said it carefully and I shook my head and there was a chorus of no's from everyone else. He gave a slow nod before pointing to where the witch was. The other female was standing there, crouched in front of the little black girl, talking to her but her back was still to us. "She's over there taking care of the shifter kid. Apparently she's some upper guy's like nanny or something but I also heard that she got like knocked up by this guy and the kid is theirs but I also heard she was like the mundane's daughter."

"You gossip more than my fucking sister on a two hour phone call, Jonas." Toma said it with a laugh and I joined in, looking away from the female. She was making my wolf feel something that I didn't quite understand.

Jonas rolled his eyes, "I would go over there and ask but she has this big mountain shifter protecting her. No one is allowed close. Isn't that fucking weird?" He pointed and I glanced back over there and spotted the large male looking around, his expression serious. He was standing at attention, close enough to the female to protect her but far enough away that she could do her own thing. It was weird that she had that type of protection.

"She's a mundane in a building full of shifters. I think the protection is mandatory. The Hunters probably tossed him on babysitting duty." Aiden said it rather flippantly, waving his hand slightly as it pushing the entire situation away. "It would be weird if she didn't have protection."

"You have a point." I said it with a nod. It would be weird if she didn't have protection, if the Hunters let her run around without someone watching her carefully. "She knows the witch at least." I said it casually and everyone looked at me quickly. My eyes went wide and I slowly gestured. "Did you not hear the witch screeching about how adorable the black girl was? The witch knows her, called her Lynny-bear." I said it carefully and they glanced between each other before shrugging.

Jonas shook his head slightly. "And that makes it even more weird." He pointed it out and I frowned slightly, I had to agree there as well.

"So we have a mundane who is being protected, who knows a witch, and it taking after a kid who is clearly not hers. That is kind of weird." Ellis said it with a slow nod. "I'm gunna ask my father." He nodded quickly and I glanced at my own father.

You know anything about the mundane who is here? I sent it to him and he looked over at me, a frown on his face.

Just that one is running a panel. He gave me a small shrug across the large room.

There is another one, a female one, taking care of the black kid, apparently knows the witch. I gestured towards her with my head and I watched as me father glanced at her before his expression darkened and he shrugged again.

He looked away from me, turning back to Lucien. Have no clue, Sev. Will ask a Hunter when I get time. Bringing mundanes in is just asking for trouble. You go back to building relations with those heirs.

At that I nodded and turned back to the group. "My father hasn't heard anything." I said it quickly and Ellis shook his head.

"Mine either." He glanced around and Aiden shrugged slightly.

"Neither has mine." He looked more confused than anything and we all looked at Toma.

He was frowning before he blinked, looking at us. "My father says she's registering to be a healer." The words struck us all with the same disbelief.

"She's mundane." Aiden said it, making a face.

"Apparently she has the seal of approval from Altia. She's apparently a very talented healer." Toma shrugged, as if saying he didn't understand it anymore than we did.

"How does your father know?" Jonas asked it, crossing his arms over his chest.

"He asked a Hunter." Toma shrugged and I found myself laughing slightly at the simplicity of the answer. Everyone else joined in and I wondered if that was why my wolf was so concerned and whining about the mundane when I looked at her. She was odd, off, not something normal. It made sense.

"If it isn't fucking Ellis Tormund." At the rather venomous words I watched as Ellis scowled and slowly turned around to greet the larger male. He got into Ellis' space, pointing at his face. "You defiled my fucking sister." The male was vibrating with anger and Ellis tilted his head slightly.

"I wouldn't have done it if she hadn't asked." His response was rather cocky and it was Toma that called out the warning as the male sucker punched Ellis with a snarl. Our small group scattered slightly as the two of them went at it. My heart leapt into my throat as the scent of blood entered my nose. I didn't think twice and jumped forward, grabbing an arm and trying to yank the two of them apart.

Aiden was quickly by my side, trying to help me separate them and I was aware that Toma and Jonas were jumping in as well. The angry male's friends jumped in as well except they targeted us. I barely dodged a punch, having to let go of the arm I had grabbed. I could hear the commotion around us as people shouted. Snarls and growls filled the foyer and I dodged another punch, shoving the male away. He staggered into someone who grabbed him to keep him from rejoining the brawl.

I jumped back in, grabbing the large male that was now on top of Ellis. "For my fucking sister and for what they did to her!" He snarled the words out and I watched in horror as he slashed Ellis' throat. My limbs felt numb as Ellis started coughing blood, it flooded out of the wounds. I was barely aware that I had yanked the angry male off until I had tossed him away and skidded in the ever growing pool of blood beside beside Ellis. I grabbed his throat, putting pressure on the wounds.

This was bad, so fucking bad.

"It's okay, Ellis! It's okay!" I shook and felt sick to my stomach as the blood pumped between my fingers. He grabbed my shirt and gasped, blood gurgling in his mouth. "Someone help! We need a healer!" I looked around frantically and it felt like no one was moving, like they were all just watching. I looked at him and realized the truth as his father crashed to the floor beside us.

He was going to die. No one came back from those wounds.

"Ellis! Ellis, my boy, look at me!" His father grabbed his face, his hands shaking violently. I could see Ellis struggling to talk, to speak and the blood was thick and hot against my hands. I wanted to remove them but I knew I couldn't.

"Move." The command was said with authority and Ellis's father was picked up by a large shifter and yanked away. A female knelt in his spot but I only glanced at her, trying to keep my eyes on Ellis as he grew more pale, his eyes closing. "Move your hands." She snapped it out and I shook my head. If I moved my hands, he died quicker.

"My boy! My boy!" Ellis' father shouted it, his voice cracking, and I swallowed hard, feeling like I wanted to cry. I never watched someone die before. I never dealt with this before. I felt sick but I wanted to be seen as strong but how could you be strong with someone's life literally slipping between your fingers?

"Move him!" Se snapped it out and someone grabbed me and yanked me away. I struggled for a bit and then stopped as the female pressed her hands to the deep wounds on Ellis' throat. The air around her warped and heated and a white stripe of hair on her head moved around as if alive. Her eyes went black and everything inside me stilled as if I had seen a predator much stronger, faster, and more dangerous than myself. I watched with wide eyes, blood dripping off my fingers as the lights flickered and there was the sound of something like a freight train passing through as the female opened her mouth.

She closed her mouth with a snap and it was like the room had the air sucked out of it. There was nothing, no sound, not breathing, nothing. And then Ellis gurgled, coughed blood out, and then sucked in a deep inhale, his colour returning as he hacked and spit up blood. The female's eyes changed back to normal, the warping heat around her stopped, and she leaned over him more, moving one of her hands from his throat to his face. "You alright there?" She asked it sharply, either ignoring the blood on her hands or completely oblivious to it. Ellis nodded, opening and closing his mouth.

"Swallow. I need you to swallow." It was a sharp command and I watched as Ellis winced but seemed to swallow like she said. "Good. Now speak. Say your name for me." She was still leaning over to him and he winced again but nodded.

"Ellis Tobias Tormund." It rasped out of him, sounding rough and painful but the mundane nodded.

"Good." With that she let him go and stood up. "Markus, I need to go to my room and clean, please bring Elsie in ten minutes. I don't want her to see me like this nor do I want her to see this mess." She said it so casually, as if she wasn't covered in blood or had just saved a life that I was fairly positive was completely gone. There was no one out there that could have done what she just did, yet she had.

"Will do." The male holding Ellis' father let him go and moved with her through the crowd.

"Thank the moon!" Ellis' father hit the ground again and grabbed Ellis, crushing him to his chest, openly crying. "My boy. My son!" He held him tightly and I was slowly let go. I looked at who had grabbed me and it was Aiden. He looked shell shocked and I felt the same way. "Thank you for trying to save him." At the words I looked at Ellis' father, he was looking straight at me. "You tried and that means the world to me." I watched as Ellis tried to move but he father held him tighter, as if unwilling to let him go.

"You should thank her, not me" I said it faintly, pointing in the direction where the mundane female had gone. She deserved the thanks, not me. I did nothing. I had been useless.

"I will." He smoothed Ellis' hair back, ignoring how Ellis made a slightly embarrassed face as his father kissed his forehead. "I will." With that I slowly shrank into the crowd. I wanted to get the blood off of me. It was cooling and sticky and it made me want to gag.

"Can't believe that happened so early into the Gathering." My father was beside me quickly, putting his arm around my shoulder as he steered me towards a set of stairs. "Let's get you cleaned up. You did me proud, I am sure Alpha Tormund will look upon an alliance with us with much more favour due to your quick thinking." At his praise I felt slightly sick. Ellis had nearly died. I didn't know him well but I his throat in my hands as I watched him nearly bleed out. I didn't want someone to be proud of that.

"I was useless." I said it thickly, honestly feeling more like a little boy than I had in years. I was twenty-four and I wanted to curl up into a little ball and weep like a baby.

"You did more than anyone else." He patted my shoulder and we made our way to our room in silence. I was aware Lucien was walking slightly behind us but it was like it barely registered. Once we were inside my father steered me to the bathroom. "Take everything off and set it on the counter. I will deal with getting it dry cleaned before the blood ruins anything." I nodded at him, not sure what to say to him as he closed the door behind him as he left.

For a moment, a huge moment, I wished Bastian was here. I wished he was here so I could go to him like I used to when I was younger and scared, where he would wrap me up in a blanket and give me a hug and tell me that everything was going to be okay.

For the first time in nearly three years, I wanted my brother back with everything inside me.