Apollo's Secret

by A Y Venona

  "Let's see, Aaron Haim," Ono encoded them in the computer. "It says, age, 36 years old, from Coded Island, strange name for an island..."

  Jason's and his companions’ eyes met. They did not particularly know their island's name. The enforcer then continued reading Aaron's profile. When he was done, he proceeded to encode Hearst's.

  "Hearst Hammel, 38 years old, Coded Island, Enforcer...oh, you're an enforcer yet you don't know the laws of other packs."

  Hearst glared at him.

  "Well, at least I wasn't relegated to doing clerical work," Hearst huffed.

  "Are you trying to provoke me?" Ono asked, aggravated. His eyes menacingly locked on with Hearst’s.

  "Excuse me, officer. I’d apologize on his behalf. We came from an isolated island with insular upbringings..." Aaron interrupted, his voice placating, his hands raised in act of surrender. Jason heard the chuckles from the enforcers behind him. Aaron ignored it and instead continued talking. "We are not aware of the other pack laws. We never left our island until now. We're looking for our alpha."

  Ono shifted his gaze to Jason.

  "I thought you're their alpha," he said. "You have this really powerful vibes."

  "Our alpha is my father," Jason said.

  The enforcer's throat bobbled when he met Jason's eyes. "Well, let's see you said your name is Jason Dyeus." Ono typed in Jason's name and then stared at the computer screen. He raised his head to stare at Jason. He looked perplexed.

  "What is it?" asked the other enforcer standing behind them.

  "You don't have any record here," Ono answered, "but it says under your name...here...read this." He turned the computer screen to Jason. It read:

  Bring him immediately to A1.

  "Who's Alpha-One?" Jason asked.

  "Eh...the Alpha Mayor.”

  The Mayor's chamber was bigger and grandiosely decorated with flowery carvings on the walls and on furniture. Even lamp lights were shaped like a flower. It was strange for a werekin to choose a flower for designs. Ono led him into the Mayor’s office when they learned that the Mayor was having a conference in the other chamber. Footsteps vibrated in Jason's ears, heralding the coming of the man who so wanted to see him that he wrote it in his file.

  "Who's here to see me?" he asked Ono who mumbled his reply. Big guy, the Mayor was--bulky and colossal, taller than Jason. He stiffened when his eyes found Jason’s.

  "Leave us," he said to his men. He sauntered toward his cabinet and pulled a wine bottle and two glasses. He walked to his desk, set the glasses on his table and offered one to Jason.

  "Jason isn't it?" were his first words to him.

  "How did you know my name?" Jason took the offered glass, sniffed it and drank from it.

  "Well, you look like your father," the Mayor replied, chuckling. "So where's your old man?"

  "I don't know. That's why I'm here, looking for him."

  The Mayor froze, his glass midway to his mouth. He stared at Jason with a troubled face, which Jason thought was not a good sign.

  “I see. It made sense. Or else your father wouldn't let you out of that island."

  Jason's face furrowed. "Why not?"

  "Why not, indeed. But who knows? So tell me how long he has been gone?”

  “For a year now.”

  "A year? Hmmm...that makes sense. I haven’t seen him in a while I just thought he was in the island.”

  Jason’s frown deepened and he watched the Mayor take a gulp of the wine straight from the bottle. After filling himself up to his satisfaction, he fished out a handkerchief from his pants and wiped his mouth with it. He looked pensive for a moment before he started talking.

  “So how can I help you?"

  Jason was surprised from this unexpected announcement.

  "Well, for one, you need to tell your men to back off."

  The Mayor chuckled. Freaking chuckled.

  "Well, you came here without a passport."

  "What the heck is that?"

  "It's just the little card you bring with you when you enter someone else's territory," he explained. "Don't worry, I'll make you one. I'll write some special instruction so no one will harass you when you travel city to city. Just avoid the pack lands." The Mayor started writing down notes on his paper.

  "Make it three."

  "You got some people with you?" Jason nodded. "Do you need a car?"

  "Huh? I got a boat."

  "Jason, you don't need your boat for short travel and especially by land. Cities here are connected by bridges." His gaze shifted on Jason's shirt, "And if you don't mind, you need new clothes too."

  "How shall I pay for this?"

  "I'll charge this all in your father's account," he said grinning. "Oh, I assumed you don't have money too.”

  "Money?"

  "How the heck do you trade in the island? Oh, well, Marcus has always been a sentimental geezer."

  "We just asked favor. Most goods are produced for the whole community. If they need something, they ask someone to make it for them."

  "Trust and kindness as currency will not do well in a large community like a city. Here we use money to exchange trade or buy service. Don't worry, your father has an account in the bank and you have unlimited access to it."

  "Unlimited access?” Jason gazed at the Mayor. “I haven’t seen you in the island, yet you seem to know a lot about me. And why would you easily believe that I’m even your friend’s son?”

  “Good question, “ the Mayor replied. He then opened one of the drawers in the table and pulled out a huge white folder, which he gave to Jason.

  “C’mon open it.”

  Looking confused, Jason lifted the tab up and deposited all the content on the table. Pictures upon pictures were laid down, all of Jason’s in different ages.

  “Why?” Jason asked, his eyes sparkled with emotion. “Why do you have pictures of me?”

  “Your father gave it to me. Jason, my name is Lares. Your father trusted me with his assets and in return he helped me became the City Mayor. In this side of the Realm, leadership is not gained by a challenge. It’s by wealth. And your father provided that wealth so I could win the election. I only know your appearance nothing else. However,” he dropped his voice to a whisper. “In case there are some daring individuals who will pretend to be you, your father told me one rare and distinct attribute that only you and your father have. For a werekin like us, there’s no one I know who can hide their werekin beast from me. But you and your father, you easily can. I can’t smell your wolf-kin.”

  Jason stood frozen. He had no wolf-kin smell?

  “I wouldn’t have learned about it if you hadn’t told me.”

  “Oh, don’t think about it too much. Your father said it’s common among his family,” Lares said. “And, Jason, I’m at your father’s disposal and by virtue of your kinship to him, so I’ll be to you.”

  After calling a few people—writing down notes, typing his name, Hearst's and Aaron's to produce three passports—Lares ushered Jason out of his office.

  “And, Jason,” Lares said. “Stay off from the packland.”

  ✽✽✽

  "Why the fuck did your father deprive us of these technological conveniences? It’d have been a lot easier to contact him had he only gotten us a phone!" Hearst ranted.

  "He has reasons," Jason answered softly as if his thoughts were not meant to be voiced. Two pairs of eyes turned to him. "Phone is connected to a satellite. Having one in the island can make our island tractable." His friends' furrows deepened. "I got a feeling Marcus is hiding our island from the outside. As to why? Only he knows. So we need to find him. But first, “ Grinning, Jason held up a key. “We need to learn how to drive a car.”

  They stayed in the city longer than planned. Lares explained to them the importance of learning how to drive. Jason and his friends therefore humbled themselves to their driving instructor while Lares contacted Marcus' other 'old friends' in other cities. He personally delivered the information he gathere
d from them to Jason.

  "I tell you, Jason, Marcus always informed us whenever he's in our cities. None of them heard from him since ages ago. They're concerned too and wanted to help in the search, but they got cities to run. There's, however, one more person that I'm yet to contact and who may likely know your father's whereabouts. But..." Lares paused. They're in one of the rooms in the Mayor's house that served as their temporary accommodation. He and Lares were sitting at each side of the small round table. His gaze pierced into Jason's as he continued. "But...we can't contact him through phone...and there's only one place where we can talk to him."

  "Who and where?"

  "Where's your map?"

  Jason took a folded paper from the pocket of his gray trousers and handed it to Lares.

  "Here," Lares said. Jason looked down on the pointed place marked with red dot with a name Midland. "It's the capital of Northernia," Lares explained. "He has a club there. He goes by the name, Fid. I could have asked a friend to assist you, but he is in Southernia. As soon as he gets back to Midland, I’d ask him to seek you out. Have your phone handy. I’ll call you from time to time."

  "Okay, thanks."

  "How's your driving?"

  "Good. I think I can drive there."

  "Good, good. It's going to be a long drive...500 miles from here. If you travel 50 miles per hour, it’ll take you around 10 hours. But since you just learned how to drive, I’ll advise you to refrain from speeding."

  Jason winced. But then said, "I can do that.”

  "See the hover only travels in between Realms."

  Jason furrowed his brow at Lares’ amusement.

  "Glad to know you got a chuckle out of this,” he said.

  "Jason, you got a lot to catch up in this modernized world. Well, a hover is a transportation you use to travel by air," Lares explained. After receiving a few more words of wisdom and advice from Lares, Jason left.

  They left Rancor the next morning. Being inexperienced drivers and unfamiliar with the roads, they reached Midland in fifteen hours. The people inhabiting the areas looked no different than the others they saw in the cities. Street lights and signs littered the place, and people after people bumped each other as they walked on the sidewalks. Midland may not be any different from other cities in Northernia, but it was the biggest and the crowdest, which posted a new challenge to their search: how to find Fid and his club in this huge place?

  They dawdled at the tavern that next night to sample the city’s beer. On their way to the tavern, Hearst whispered to Jason his intention of sampling not only the liquor but also the local maid. Looking disgustedly at Hearst cavorting with one of the locals seated in the table across from them, Aaron shared his observation to Jason.

  “I know that he’s not your mate, but why are you still keeping up the façade?”

  “What do you mean?” Jason asked though deep inside he understood Aaron's words.

  Aaron sighed before he answered. “Why would you continue on sleeping with him for what 10 years now?”

  “Isn’t it for obvious reason? Sex? Convenience? Accessibility? Closeness? You name it. There are a lot,” he answered nonchalantly.

  “I know you, Jason. You can get anyone you like if it is just sex you want. But mostly you slept with him, making the people believe you’re together. But we both know you’re not.”

  Jason was taken aback at the assumption. It never occurred to him that his action could be misconstrued that way. It was never his intention to make people think that he and Hearst were couple. He also had his shares of promiscuity in terms of sleeping around with other people though this had been done with much discretion and thus never made it to a casual bystander’s ears.

  “Somewhere out there is your mate. Why not start looking for him? Or her?” Aaron said when Jason lapsed into silence.

  A mate? There had been a good number of pack members in the island that believed in a mate. In fact it was common among werekin to search for their mates who could complete them. Mate bonding was considered sacred. There were some people who were against the idea of fate intervening in their love affairs, and believed that a mate bond was nothing but superstition. That the scent a werekin smelled from his supposed mate was nothing but instant lust or attraction that usually led to sex. Jason knew that Hearst was one of them, and like these new breed of werekin, Hearst preferred to choose his own lover, mate or not. But this was Hearst. What did Jason believe?

  “In fact, why don’t we add it in our search?” Aaron grinned, suddenly finding the idea of Jason meeting his mate exciting.

  Jason had no heart to tell Aaron that he might never have a mate. Probably next time, when Aaron was less enthusiastic.

  With the money he had, Jason used it to rent an inn for a whole week. A week turned into months. With determination to find this Fid and his club in this huge city, Jason opted to rent a whole house instead of an inn in a place a mile off the city land. He had forgotten Lares' warning: Stay off the packland.

  Chapter 3

  Knock, knock

  An iron-vise hand-grip stopped Hearst’s hand from going farther down Jason’s thigh. Looking utterly stunned, Hearst’s mouth hung open, his eyes sharp and annoyed.

  “Go, open the door,” Jason growled.

  “You stopped me from blowing you so I can open the door? What the fuck, Jason?”

  “Well, they’re annoying. So—”

  Without waiting for Jason to finish talking, Hearst lifted himself off the couch and stood up. Jason sat up and watched him stalk to the door.

  “You’re given a two hour notice to pack up your stuff and leave this territory.” Jason heard an unfamiliar voice saying. Annoyed and curious, he sauntered toward them.

  “And what would you do if I say we’re not leaving?” he announced as soon as he laid his eyes on the two strangers standing by the door.

  “Then it means you’re challenging our Alpha’s authority. You’re in his territory.”

  “We rented this place from Mr. Josielyn, and so we will only listen to him.”

  “If I were you, I’d listen to what we said. You don’t really want to challenge our Alpha.”

  “Well, good that you were not me because I’d rather challenge your Alpha than run like a bunch of cowards. And besides, it’s easier to face your Alpha than packing in two hours. Go on, set a date and place. I’ll meet him anywhere.”

  The two strangers wore a strange look that Jason dismissed as nonsensical.

  “Wow, you’re something. But well, just get yourself ready. Meet us at Cedar Forest tonight.”

  “See yeah, boys!” Hearst bellowed at the retreating figures. He smirked at Jason. “Did you just see the look on their faces when you decided that you’d rather fight than pack?” Hearst chuckled.

  Jason was not as bulky as his father was, but his bones seemed to be built of iron.

  ✽✽✽

  Aaron was livid. He glared at both of them.

  “What’s wrong with just simply leaving this place? And don’t tell me you’ll have a hard time packing!” Aaron asked, becoming visibly more incensed every second.

  “You know I don’t want people ordering me around, telling me what to do!”

  “Oh, so your ego is bruised. But, Jason, we don’t even know who this Alpha is! And what if he’s stronger and bigger than you? You know, like most Alphas are?”

  “Relax, Jason got this,” Hearst interjected. “You sound like a possessive lover.”

  Aaron gave him a deathly glare.

  “I sound like a possessive lover?” Aaron scoffed, “No, Hearst, I’m trying to sound like a real friend who is scared as shit about Jason’s blatant disregard for his own safety! You, on the other hand—”

  “Aaron, enough!” Jason’s voice thundered.

  Aaron's next words were left trapped beneath his tongue. He stared at Jason, looking stunned and hurt.

  “Just… don’t worry about it,” Jason softly said. He sighed and pulled him for an embrace. “Thank
you for your concern, but I got this.” He ended it with a kiss on Aaron’s forehead.

  That night, they trekked through the forest for the designated rendezvous. The area chosen was the little clearing in the midst of the thick forest of Cedar trees. Crisp leaves crackled beneath their feet, disturbing the eerie quietness that enveloped the dark woods. It wasn’t long then when they heard the howling. A few seconds later, dozen pairs of murderous red eyes were glaring in the dark. Their growls rattled the ground.

  “I got a bad feeling about this,” Aaron whispered, his voice tickled the skin below Jason’s ear.

  “Well, I see they traveled in style.”

  “Don’t provoke them,” Aaron warned him unnecessarily.

  “Aaron, how many times do I have to tell you that when facing your enemy, don’t lose your sense of humor?” Jason said.

  Hearst chuckled.

  “Well, is there anyone here who can talk?” Jason asked to no one in particular.

  “They should have brought a speaker with them,” Hearst whispered.

  A few pair of red predatory eyes gazed at them, rage resurfacing underneath. When a loud thunderous growl coming from the largest wolf standing at the center seemed to be the only response they could get, Jason took it as a sign to shift into his wolf form. Both Hearst and Aaron, however, beat him to it. They were already in their wolf forms while he was still in the midst of transformation: fur grew in his legs, his torso and up to his head; his face elongated and thickened; teeth grew and sharpened; and the eyes—the eyes glowed not in red, but in blindingly brilliant white as though two brilliant stars were trapped inside. The Alpha could have made his move, but he instead remained still, mesmerized at such a magnificent sight. Already in his wolf skin, Jason stared back at the Alpha, assessing his every movement. He readied himself for an attack when the Alpha moved closer to him. He showed him his fangs to scare him away. Jason prided himself in his ability to anticipate an attack, but what the Alpha did was something he least expected.