It was morning and something terrible had happened for the Walpurgis, the wolves.

  A Conglomerate van carrying 2 million Credits happened to be in the slum territory of the wolves. And to the foolish decisions of young omegas, they raided the van without Aiden’s permission. Slaughtering the vampires on board because they had the advantage, due to it being day. They flipped the van and stole the credits.

  To make it worse, they carved the Walpurgis symbol of anarchy on the van. An anarchy symbol with the ‘a’ being the Greek alpha symbol. It was known already that the wolves did it.

  “Which one of you dumbasses did this!? Show yourselves!” Headley shouted at the omegas who were on site. As all betas and the Alpha gathered.

  “I can’t believe you guys would act without the Alpha’s permission!” Mizuchi helped scold them. Hearing a kind kid berate them made him feel worse.

  “Alpha, please don’t take it too harsh,” Carlos tried to reason with him. Standing near Aiden as he visibly felt stress. “They meant good.”

  “No, they were rash, this should have been communicated,” Aiden muttered lowly, being quiet and afraid of disappointing. “I don’t want to make the Conglomerate an enemy, we just wanted Micheal dead.”

  “They are far too powerful for us to handle right now,” Aiden held his hair, and his eyes widened. Involuntarily imagining the death of his wolves.

  “Aiden! What kind of Alpha shows fear!” Tony stepped up and slapped him on the back. Causing the young Alpha to jump up and straighten. “You need to set this straight.”

  Tony brought Aiden away from the betas and omegas to discuss their next move. As it was needed for Aiden to face them with orders himself rather than with Tony by his side. It would show weakness as the alpha.

  “The best you can do is own it up and prepare for what is going to happen, the omegas did good marking the territory,” Tony told Aiden sharply. Aiden nodded as it was their next best move. “And you need to come these decisions faster, remember you’re the one who changed their lives.”

  Tony gave his nephew a pat on the back, “You chose to be a leader.”

  As Aiden turned to his betas and omegas, Tony gave him some more words of encouragement,

  “The bite is a gift.”

  ~//~

  “Such a pain in the ass…” Mercy muttered, reading the report of what happened. She wished she could be using her effort minimally at some lovely hotel. “2 million Credits, that’s quite a lot.”

  “Your problems are annoying me, Axion,” She said sharply to the dark-skinned vampire that got comfortable in the office’s sofa.

  “My bad! Go ahead to put them in their place, won’t you?” Micheal responded cheerfully, scrolling through his foreign social media app. “Except my little boy, just give him a little spanking.”

  “I can’t wait to be carefree like you…” Mercy sighed, tearing off a page on her calendar. “Just 985 years, 8 months and 7 days left.”

  “The wolves’ blood better taste great in the Alps’ weather,” Mercy picked up her phone and had an immediate answer. “Naohiko… I got a job for you.”

  “Yes, I have the price for your time.”

  ~//~

  Jason had been capturing people in the slums that day, which was alarming to the Confederation. Fearing of what he could be experimenting, Nolan Bradley wished to act on it quickly.

  Nolan summoned Count Earl to his office, and they began planning. Nolan asked if they could just send another Detective to deal with Jason but, all the other detectives were terrified of doing so. Since Detective Clawer was one of the strongest Minohwa had to offer and still died. But that wasn’t true. Jason didn’t want any detectives on his back, so he told Count Earl to tell the Representative that.

  And due to those unfortunate circumstances, Diane Conner was summoned to his office.

  Former Executive Detective, and now headmistress of Diane’s Excellency where detectives are made. She is no ordinary individual.

  “Ms. Conner, I am glad that you can make an appearance,” Immediately, Nolan nervously caked up to her. Count Earl found it pathetic, standing behind Nolan who sat in his desk chair.

  Diane sat in the sofa before him and had a mean glower, “Don’t flatter me, it will get you no-where.”

  She glared at him, “What do you want?”

  “M- my apologies,” Nolan stuttered. Count Earl clicked his tongue, finding the Representative so pathetic.

  “You should mind your manners, he is the Representative,” Count Earl said sternly while looking down on the man.

  “I’ve been alive long enough to be your mother… And know that you two aren’t fit to lead,” Diane didn’t back down. She saw none of them as threats, she was too valuable and they couldn’t do what she could, “What are you going to do? Traitorous boy.”

  “You watch your mouth!” Count Earl almost bounded off the table for her. Being stopped by Nolan, Diane didn’t smirk. She wasn’t amused, rather disappointed.

  “Please! Don’t fight!” Nolan intervened. Breathing heavily, he almost had a panic attack, “I am… just trying to make things right!”

  He sat back down and turned to Diane, “Look, Jason is in the slums and he’s up to no good. We surveyed his protection and seen that it isn’t too strong so… We want the graduating Detectives-In-Training to deal with it.”

  “Why not the actual detectives?” Diane rose a brow at them, not hiding the shame she felt from them.

  “They…” Nolan hesitated, not sure how to tell her that none of the adults wanted to deal with it so the kids had to.

  “That’s none of your business.” Count Earl spoke for Nolan, since he hated the hesitation. In the back of his mind, he couldn’t wait for Jason to return the man he loves. “Just do as the Representative says.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “You people just got from bad to worse,” Diane sighed. Holding her eyebrows and massaging it, “I should have run away to Europe centuries ago.”

  “If possible, could you send Kayne Mauter on the mission?” Nolan asked nicely. He had grown fond of Kayne, he was the cold, emotionless killing machine that the settlement needed. More successful than actual Detectives.

  “No, that’s not possible. You guys sent him to deal with the spike in the Red Panda District already,” Nolan and Count Earl’s eyes widened upon hearing her words, they thought they hid it well from her. Well, before she retired, she was at a higher position than them. Information flows to her. “Do you think he is some hound for you to abuse?”

  “Then who will deal with it?” Count Earl demanded from her harshly.

  Diane had to manipulate the situation in a way that Jason wins. And no matter what right now, Kayne must avoid all contact with Jason. They were already pulling the strings to avoid that. “My school has other promising students in the graduating class.”

  “Bryant Bradley.”

  “Carolyn Hopkins.”

  “Brooklyn Roth.”

  “Ryan Reed.”

  “Xavier Barcia.”

  “Abigail Hetsford.”

  “Martin Davilla.”

  “These 7 students…” Diane showed a smirk, which was unlike her, “Can deal with the mission.”

  “My own son!?” Suddenly, Nolan rose his voice. It had been a long time since he’s done that. The thought of his son coming across Jason terrified him.

  “Don’t worry, that boy is more than capable.”

  Nolan stayed silent, despite the fears in his heart.

  ~//~

  “What’s your plans for later?” In his boredom, Bryant decided to flirt with the receptionist. Suddenly, he was called to Diane’s Excellency headmistress office and that he was supposed to escort someone there too.

  While waiting for this person, he decided to indulge himself in his greatest sin. Lust.

  “Bryant, you know that I work till late,” The receptionist giggled as she sorts through client names. “I gave you my schedule already.”

  Bryant’s face was expressionless, it was too easy for him. May it be his good looks, charisma or the scent his demonic body emitted. His lust can never be satisfied, “It’s such a shame that this campus has you all to themselves.”

  “You could have a better time with me,” He snatched her hands from the keyboard and held them dearly. Knowing that she was consciously comparing his large rough hands to her small soft ones. He knew the tricks to getting into her mind already. There was a ring on that finger.

  “Bryant... I am not young or as fortunate as you… I got to pay bills,” She started to breathe heavily and took her hands away. Bryant knew he got in her head, “But, if you want, I can take a break and we can…”

  “Are you sure? I can wait,” Bryant could never make it that he wants it. He had to make it that she wants it. That way, she’ll come back for more.

  “No- No! It’s… alright with me.” The receptionist saved her tabs and was about to get out of the booth but, Bryant stopped her.

  Seeing a familiar short, blonde-haired individual.

  “Wait, I have to do something important,” Bryant suddenly rushed off to the individual and leaving the receptionist frustrated. “Save your break for now, love.”

  "You piece of-!" The woman stifled her words to not cause a scene in the office. Despite feeling the heat, she tried to distract herself with work.

  As he spoke, images of Xitalli reflected in his mind, “I will be back for you.”

  He rushed up to Able and stopped him by his shoulder, “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Oh great I found you; I can’t differentiate shit with all these monster pheromones,” Able sighed, he was never the best at analyzing pheromones.

  “This isn’t exactly friendly territory, Able,” Bryant continued his questioning, wondering if anyone noticed him casually walking in.

  “Why wouldn’t it be?” Able smirked with him, knowing that he was beyond confused, “The headmistress called me here.”

  “Wait, you’re the person I have to escort?” Bryant rose a brow; things were escalating too fast for him.

  “There you go,” Able tipped and patted him on the head for a good job, “Now, let’s go.”

  As they were walking to the headmistress office, Bryant was surprised that he already knew the location. He asked Able, “I thought it was only Xitalli, does this mean?”

  “There’s a lot of things you’re going to learn,” Able loved the confusion it was causing. They were nearing the office.

  “But, since when? When did this happen?” Bryant’s knowledge on the settlement’s history was being fought with day by day.

  “Since the King began his reign,” Able smiled as he opened the office door.

  Stepping in and meeting the headmistress of the school. An average height woman who wore high heels and professional clothing. Having sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes, she wore glasses and had her hair in a long ponytail. Standing by her desk, she spoke, “Couldn’t be any earlier.”

  “My bad, sis, I needed breakfast,” Able spoke casually with Diane Conner. Bryant needed answers immediately, his head was hurting. What did Able mean by sis?

  “It’s the first we’re meeting under these conditions, Mr. Bradley,” Diane ignored Able and spoke. A black fabric surrounded the walls off the office, sealing them in by Diane’s power, “Breakfast Club.”

  “Take a seat and allow me to introduce myself,” Diane requested, and they did. Bryant staying quiet since he was familiar with her spitfire attitude.

  “My name is Diane Conner, soon-to-be Diane Conner-Zorian,” Bryant’s eyes widened upon hearing the last name. She smirked, he never seen her do this before, “One of the King of the Damned’s fiancés”

  “One of? That’s the type of life I am trying to live,” Bryant was okay with it, he had a similar reaction when Xitalli revealed her loyalty.

  “You’ve accepted the truth rather quickly, Bradley,” Diane didn’t say it aloud, but she didn’t trust the boy. He was Nolan’s son after all.

  “The Confederation is in need of a change,” Bryant responded with a smile.

  “Or abolishment,” Diane rolled her eyes.

  “That is a better possibility to me too,” Bryant agreed.

  “Now, I am here on the behalf the King of the Damned to give you a mission,” Diane didn’t hesitate to get to business. Crossing her legs as she sat in her office chair, the boys listened attentively. “Jason is causing trouble in the slums and the Representative is sending some Detectives-In-Training to deal with it.”

  “Including Kayne?” Able rose a brow. That would have been problematic.

  “No, I managed to avoid that,” Diane answered. “They are sending; Martin Davilla, Ryan Reed, Brooklyn Roth, Carolyn Hopkin, Xavier Barcia, Abigail Hetsford and…”

  “You, Bryant,”

  Bryant was surprised that his father, who babied him, would send him on a mission. His older brother received the most babying.

  “What do I have to do with this?” Able asked, he had both of his feet folded in the chair. “You want Zebra Effect to stay in the shadows and help kill Jason?”

  “No, in fact, we want you to do the opposite,” Diane said sternly which confused them. “You should do everything you can to prevent Jason’s death. Let his plans flow freely, hinder the Detectives-In-Training as much as possible from the shadows.”

  “That includes you too Bryant but, you will be able to do it directly,” She told him about his role in it.

  “Why are we protecting Jason? I thought our goal was to kill him.” Able is a very smart individual. In fact, he wrote the Records of Dystopia which revolutionized the way monsters use their powers. The third edition of it, he had help from Tristan. But he has his times.

  “It was never that from the beginning. The King of the Damned needs Jason to continue his plans in order to capture Minohwa,” Diane explained to which widened Able’s eyes. “The reason he told your group and others to kill him is because it would rush his plans as Jason is desperate.”

  “And it worked, just to the King of the Damned’s plans,” Diane smirked, saying his name brought her warmth.

  “Will we ever get to kill Jason?” Able looked at Diane with a burning anger. He wanted his revenge for years, for what Jason did to him and his family.

  “The idiot says he wants to take Jason’s head for himself but,” Diane had a bittersweet smile as she spoke, “He says anyone in the family deserves the chance.”

  Able nodded, still glad that there’s a chance to kill Jason. Even if it’s not by his hands.

  “The Detectives-In-Training you sent out… They are the most psychotic ones, they’ll probably get distracted by some innocent person before getting to Jason,” Bryant pointed out in a nonchalant tone. It didn’t matter so much to him.

  “That’s right, Bradley, so Jason’s plans should flow freely then,” Diane was glad that he inferred that quickly. “But if something does lead them to Jason, you deter them and if that doesn’t work, Zebra Effect should be following.”

  “What about the citizens that Jason is experimenting on? Will they be saved?” Bryant still had some innocence in him, which was ironic.

  Able held his friend’s shoulder and frowned, “Bryant…”

  “That’s not how war works.”