Chapter 44

I'm only insane.

I was actually very sane, but not in the way Wolf Dominion would understand.

I walk around a stunned and silently infuriated Skye to let him process my words, alone for him, as I go onward to finally intercept Vastian.

Through the crowd of the Ward, he's aware I'm approaching but he makes the bold move of pretending not to care enough to meet me half way.

My own Alpha never showed signs of weakening.

Ever.

He was probably the last being on the planet that had the power to intimidate me –

I'm one table from Vastian when a bunch of cloaked Alphas escort a plain clothed woman right in front of me. Blocking my path.

Efficient, much?

I zone in on the woman. She's tall and unique in her lack of fashion, only white pants and a white shirt while her brown straight hair reaches her waist – her only defining feature.

"Ryder," she addresses me with confidence and I've stopped nose to nose with her, looking down for the sheer fact I am far taller, "I am Medivian Levana," she smiles, "Come with me, we need to talk. Jawkin has kept me informed with your developments – this way," Levana walks from her guards separately. Keeping in my frustration, I turn to follow obediently. If Jawkin liked Levana, I would find her of value, perhaps.

She takes me out of the Ward into a small cozy room off-side to the party. It's a small one on one meeting room with two grey couches, a fireplace burning bright and a mirror above that.

Levana shuts the door on us, and I stand in the middle, while Levana decides to stand also to meet me half way – while looking me over and nodding in approval.

I have not spoken yet or asked questions – because she'll tell me what she wants to say. In 3, 2, 1…

"I am going to relay you information that may or may not make you uncomfortable," Levana purses her lips, reads my lack of a reaction and then she seems to relax, "You may know that Medivians don't bond to a beast. It's not because they are a different kind of Genesis. Medivians – me – we're just human. We've been guiding the Dominions – on Genesis. Since we came here. Since we all came here. There was a basic religious thought once we arrived, when it was only a small group of us, to procreate humans, but we needed to make Genesis to survive. We needed to make Beasts too. Survival could only be possible on Genesis, the planet I refer to now, with power. This whole planet's living fauna and flora has only been what humans have brought here. Are you following?"

"If that happened, a lot has certainly changed since then," I state, without acknowledging the bombshell she's just dropped. I'd process that later. It also contradicted Vastian's view on how 'humans' came here. She continues.

"Yes. Genesis were made. It's a well kept secret mostly because Genesis would not accept the correlation to a weaker Kind, since many generations have passed. Now. The difference between Genesis and Human Kind was the lack of remorse and feelings of complete hostility toward other Genesis who had rival predatory creature bonds. Such as. Wolf, hate Cats. Reptiles, hate Wolf. Bear only thrive in small families, Cats, hate all… and sometimes they bond together. Cats, however, are the most unpredictable Genesis and Beast Kind. We do not have enough conclusive data to understand their reasons or their motives on this planet. But all this creates hostility toward Humans – who are their own faction and on the verge of extinction."

First I think of – Lemeri. Of course. Her deceit, her random bouts of kindness, her way of laughing, her way of trickery and moments of sudden calm. She was a quintessential 'Cat' and I knew her once but even then I could never figure her out. I could agree with this.

"Wolves, on the other hand, are our most predictable Kind," Levana continues.

"Because they follow a strict sense of hierarchy," I suggest and she nods. I've guessed correctly and she's happy I've finally spoken again. This gets her excited.

"Yes. Now. About you, this is the most important information I have to relay onto you, Ryder. You are, if you have not noticed, no longer entirely human, Ryder – you were a Zyer, the very rarest kind of human, a Kind who evolved naturally to bond to a Beast without science interfering. We were able to evolve that natural you into a second version of Genesis - a Messier. An extremely valuable unit," but I couldn't care less for titles.

Now that she's comfortable, I bite back hard.

"And what do you call Skye's 'Kind'?" I throw the question out there, to read her expression.

The excitement falters, but she remains confident.

"He is the closest thing you can artificially get to a Messier," she looks me up and down, thinking deeply.

"What are Genesis again? And how would you describe Vastian?" as I ask more questions she seems to regret getting me to open my mouth.

Levana's mouth opens and closes.

She hesitates too long.

"…Vastian?" she makes the mistake of delaying. Now I'm suspicious. I wait without blinking. She blatantly refuses to answer me, and now she just smiles, changing the subject, "Your role, Ryder, is to find a way for us all to survive a little better. If you may, I wish to place a tattoo upon your forehead. An Immunity symbol so no one may legally sentence you to death. You are too valuable –" what a way to deflect.

"No," I try not to snap too hard, "It won't be necessary," Levana's eyes question mine, and my eyes question hers, "I will give out death sentences, I will not be on the receiving end of those. It's not a problem."

"To whom will you give out… death sentences?" she queries, in her gentle Medivian way. Human. Way.

"To any who go out of their way to perform acts of evil upon others, decimating and destroying lives, with no regard for the option of bettering themselves," I feel my leg tingle – while the metal feels heavy on the thought.

"How will you judge that?" Levana is disproving of me being self-righteous.

I show her my foot, lifting my knee, "I think I know evil when I see it," I drop it and she inhales deeply.

"But are crimes of passion, an evil, Ryder?" Levana stares from my foot, to my cold brown eyes, "Really? If the circumstances allow…"

"Yes. They're all crimes. Of course. If we all give into our urges, even in our worst moments, we will not be worthy. We will thrive in self hatred after. Who are you, Levana, to hurt another to feel better for even a moment – only for it to be fleeting anyway. That is no way to evolve, now, is it?"

"…are you contradicting yourself, perhaps, Ryder, with your sentiment to hand out death… to perhaps pursue your passion of 'good'?"

"I will kill as quick as I can, I will not maim any," I smile a little, and then it drops.

Because she's heard enough and now just a little shocked, she turns to leave.

Perhaps Levana thought she would speak to a mindless soldier, not a woman hell bent on being the best I can be. I tried gentle. I tried kind. I tried patience. But now I knew everything else that was necessary to be the best. It involved discipline.

Levana halts by the door, looking back at me, "Ryder. It is the first time in our history that a Zyer has been chosen as a Luna. I can only guide you as a human undercover. But even I don't know what that means for you... or any of us…"

"I do," I snap at her.

"O…oh," Levana's brows furrow and she gulps down her rising fear.

"That's not for you to know," I eye her off, and she finally doesn't linger.

Levana leaves and the door shuts me in.

Sigh.

My eyes turn to the mirror. I had been waiting for the opportunity to face myself.

I walk up to the reflection and I'm pleasantly surprised by what I see.

My skin is tan and without scarring from the scientists and their great technology of removed markings. I'm a few inches taller, my muscles are more refined, my hair is full and tied back tight in a single braid. I'm clean. I'm strong. I'm healthy. I'm the best I've ever been.

My brown eyes roam down and I love everything about her. Who I've become.

And once again. My core fundamentals.

Who can I trust? Me. Who can I distrust? Everyone else.

Time to reflect on Levana's words.

Apparently, I was a 'Messier', some sort of Genesis 2.0 – I would take that and understand it as I wanted to. Fuck labels. Fuck titles. Even fuck being a Luna. I was just Ryder. And I was happy with that. There was no one more complete than her.

I would never give away my identity or my confidence again to another.

My spine curls as I'm interrupted once I hear the masculine smooth rumble from the slightly ajar door.

"My brothers and I am requesting to see you. Ryder. Immediately. In private. The rest of the night is just gift opening for Mila and her… Europa... her partner… are you listening to me with your back turned?"

The familiar voice of Raygar causes me to turn slowly.

My palms sweat.

If there was someone I had a desire to kill… and kind of fuck… at the same time – it was him.

He made me confused in my nightmares.

Raygar's long hair and charcoal eye makeup is a sign of confusion to me. It doesn't suit him – the refined look worked better for his individual power dynamic. Now he just looked like a lost Alpha who changed since losing the love of his life through Hades. 12 months ago.

Without a word to his inquisitive and cutting stare and words, I walk forward to follow him out.

I'm ready to see them all.

And I wonder, with a bit of secret self-serving humour, what Vastian, Skye and Raygar want with me?

All of them… and all alone?