To the Peak

To say I was sad to be leaving this shed and waterfall would be an understatement. I ate the food that was left here for me this morning and threw my shoes on. I knew the place to go was up. I made a point to drink as much water as I could from the river. I began the incline. It was definitely easier now with the rest I’d taken though it basically cost me two days. Still better than dying. Remembering how I was on the brink until Atlas stepped in and intervened. Even then he almost couldn’t. He wasn’t able to find me until the blue star showed where I was. Even if I was only behind him. The cloak hugged my bare body like a blanket. I didn’t run into any of the Burrowers. I wondered if Atlas was again leading them down a false trail. I was hopeful that since I killed the enforcer they wouldn’t be able to know I was here. That they wouldn’t be able to tell the trail they were following was in fact false. Heading up the mountain though it took a lot of strain was manageable. I kept running **** to make it to my end goal. The ruins as I now know they were. Where Atlas would show me what his goal with me was. I trusted him whole heartedly. He’d been the person helping me this entire time. The kind man that day in town. Well…..until my dad tried to beat me in front of him. The gifts he’s left. It was already on the tip of my tongue. Like a truth I could already see yet just didn’t wanna fully accept as it would leave more questions than answers.

I had two possibilities here. 1) I was his mate. That’s why he sought me out that day and that’s why he was so protective of me.

Or 2) I was his son and not Cole’s

My father seemed to know who he was. They hated each other. I remembered that day I’d met him.

“You filthy piece of shit. You lay your hands on him. Beat him huh! I’ll FUCKING KILL YOU! I HAD A FEELING YOU WOULD. THOMAS THOUGH OH HE’LL BE OKAY COLE WILL UNDERSTAND WE CAN TRUST HIM! YEAH HE WAS A FUCKING MORON! BUT I KNEW HAH! I FUCKING KNEW YOU WERN’T CAPABLE!”

I knew Thomas was my Beta father’s name. I new Atlas was an Alpha like my father. Those dots were easy to connect. It left a strange feeling in my chest.

Very pale and very muscular. His attractive features were striking. He had a very sharp jawline and button nose. His electric blue eyes matched yours very similarly. He seemed a bit tense and nervous to be talking to you.

I looked down at my pale hands and touched my face. My sharp jawline and button nose. His electric blue eyes matched mine. His nervous demeanor. The idea made me feel anxious. A tinge of sadness and anger from someplace.

“I uh..like drawing. My names Atlas.” He said laughing slightly. He reached his hand out and I shook it.

I chuckled. It was a bit sweet that he seemed flustered. I gave the guy a break.

“I’m Dean. Uh yeah me too whenever I have supplies. I’ve never owned a sketchbook. Sometimes I get lucky and my Alpha dad throws old paper away that I’ll snag to draw.” You said laughing slightly.

You saw the corners of his mouth frown with a veiled emotion when you mentioned your dad. He quickly regained his composure.

He definitely didn’t like me mentioning my dad to him. That fact making him upset happened again.

Atlas had appeared and caught his hand. I could see his finger nails digging into my fathers skin. My fathers eyes went wide. Hatred entered them. The two looked at each other clear disdain for one another obvious. My father made a face as if he had smelled something awful. Atlas had a vicious snarl his teeth bared. His eyes angry but amused. As if begging my father to try him. Like he knew that his will was final. My fathers eyes darted to me and back at him. A mean smirk on his face.

“Hey Dean my son Why don’t you let me your father Talk to his deadbeat old buddy for a few minutes privately.” He said feigned kindness in his voice.

If looks were able to kill Atlas would have done so. It seemed like that sentence had hit something in his core. His very being.

I remember how upset he was at my dad saying he was my father. I realized now how pointedly it was. How the sentence was meant to hurt him. In a way that only my father was able too. A fact that hurt him inside.

“Sorry Dean. Sorry you had to see that. I didn’t want you to see me like that but to deny that’s my nature would be a lie. I’m violent and cruel. I care little for people and their daily struggles but you’re different.” He said sighing.

He placed a kiss on my forehead.

He said he didn’t care about people but that I was different. I was understanding why I was different to him.

“As for Cody.” He said with a sigh.

“He failed you, me, and your deceased dad. A shitty substitute.” He grumbled.

A shitty substitute. Not for my Beta dad Not Thomas. For him. My father……Cole. Was Atlas’s shitty substitute. Atlas the man with the moons. The man who brought me gifts. The man who’s been protecting me. Who chose my Alpha’s himself.

Atlas was my father. My biological father. The powers I had. The looks I had. His overwhelming need to protect me. It was an Alpha father protecting his Beta son. That’s why be attacked my fa-….Cole. That’s why Cole always hated me. I looked like Atlas. I didn’t know the full relationship. Usually the Alpha bonding makes the other Alphas protective of all the packs young. Theirs or not. A normal Alpha wouldn’t attack a child of a pack mate’s. His or not. With that Alpha alive or not They all take the role as primary fathers of all the kids. Normally anyway. I knew then that Atlas at minimum had been with my father Thomas. Though didn’t seem my dads had all bonded together. If at all. Who’s to say Atlas required a bond.

A thought suddenly made me mad. It was undeniable to me at this point. He was my dad. I was his son. Why the actual fuck would he leave me with a man who he knew when I was 17 of beating me and starving me. Even if before that he didn’t he still left me for a fucking year with Cole.

He did beat the living shit out of him when he found out. A sudden thought popped into my mind. That was true. I needed answers. He’d answer my questions whether he liked it or not. Another part of me wasn’t angry. All it wanted now was a hug from him. Have him take me away from this world and stay with him in his. My feet marched faster than before. Even before I realized I had passed the point where snow had fallen. I was getting closer and closer to the peak of the mountain if I didn’t make it tonight I’d be there tomorrow.

My legs felt fired up. My nose flared with anger. I lived with a man who beat me and starved me. For fucking years. 18 fucking years to be exact! Where was he huh! Out having fun! Fucking around and having kids that he didn’t plan to take care of! An Alpha can only breed and mate with a single Beta their whole life their body’s physically and mentally wouldn’t let them be interested in anyone else but I didn’t know if that was true for him either! What the fuck was he? He was something other than mortal! What the fuck did that make me? If I came from him and Thomas what was I? half of what he was? It has been 2 hours since I realized that Atlas was my father. I didn’t need him to tell me anymore I knew that was the truth, my fucking face was obvious enough of a sign. My teeth grinding each other with anger. The snow flurried and kicked up around me. My senses were off the chart. My legs moved even faster than before as I stormed through the snow determined to reach him. When my anger kicked off a blizzard had began. I wondered if I was the cause. The snow was moving so fast yet reached an invisible barrier before it ever landed on me bouncing off and falling to the floor. Though for anyone else visibility would suck I could see clearly. I was thriving in this weather. My anger fueled my drive to make him pay make him answer. I wanted to hit him. I wanted to scream. I was fury incarnate right now a pure **** of nature and my nature was cold. My pale skin shone in this climate. My feet crunched and loved the sensation of the ice under them.

Separate parts of my rationale mind were arguing with my state. He saved you remember. He’s given you so many gifts! He’s been protecting you this whole time. He’s been good to you.

Yet other parts fueled my anger. He abandoned you until you were old enough that you wouldn’t need him! He left you to die at Cole’s hands he clearly could have stepped in at anytime! He’s a deadbeat! He didn’t want a son that’s why he wasn’t there it’s only cause something’s wrong with you now he’s helping, it’s just late child support! You were a mistake he made when he wanted to have fun I bet! The gifts are his way of saying “oops sorry I abandoned you here you can love me now that it’s convenient for me!”

Many thoughts echoed inside me. Making my brain hurt. My body felt so powerful now. The anger inside me was thriving and cold. Rendering my body freezing even under the cloak he gave me. My fury was absolute. Before night even fell thanks to my abilities. Powered by rage and determination. I found the peak. I saw the ruins. A single blue flamed torch lit outside. I sprinted fast to it. Beside the torch was a large marble door. I grabbed the handle and pushed. It creaked open and slammed with a *thud* I saw him. He spun around with a smile on his face standing up.

I approached him fast his smile was warm and inviting beckoning me close he held his arms out trying to give me a hug.

“Whoa Dean you made it a day earlier than I thought you would come here.” He said smiling.

I walked forward and with all my might raised my fist and slammed it into his jaw. Sending him backwards into the wall.

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