On their way back Alexander asked them lots of questions. They were the only creatures he knew that had such immense power and now being one of them there were many things he felt like he should know. He had suppressed his true self for so long that now he felt like he was inhabiting a different body. It was tiring, trying to contain everything inside, he was like an overflowing bottle. He desperately was trying all the time to put a lid on himself so he wouldn''t explode and flood everything around him. Having to deal with that all day, every second would be too tiring but he would have to learn to endure it, for the sake of the ones he loved.


    As they walked through the thick branches and mud Alexander asked one more question, this time looking at Allias.


    "How can you control your powers all the time? Isn''t it tiring restraining yourself?" he asked him and Allias'' smiled. He never thought he would meet another person who would understand that struggle of his. It was like having golden cuffs on your wrists and ankles and every time you tried to do something you weren''t supposed to you were brutally pulled into a rock solid wall.


    "It is quite exhausting. I won''t lie to you. Sometimes you feel like you''re imprisoned in your own body. But you do learn to live with it, the thought of hurting your loved ones is much worse than the feeling of being held down. You should though let go from time to time. Take some time for yourself, a week or a month whatever you think you need and just disappear, find the connection between you and your power and release it. That way you won''t feel so pent up." He advised him and Alexander nodded thinking that this was actually a very good idea.


    "Did it work for you?"


    "I…I am actually forbidden of using my true power at any circumstance. It is a law that the council voted right after my mother died at the war. It is partly the reason why I died and why the elves practically lost the war, why my whole tribe went extinct." Allias explained with a sad look and Alexander gasped. He had never thought of it before. If Allias was as strong as they said he was, why didn''t he just eliminate every threat on the battlefield? That way the war wouldn''t have lasted that long and they would have been announced as the winners. It all made sense now. If Allias was really restrained like that he would never be able to save his people. Even someone as great as him was bound by laws.


    "Why would they do that?" Alexander wondered, mumbling and mostly thinking to himself when Ea took the liberty to answer him.


    "Even during a war there are rules you need to obey to keep a balance. It''s like how you can''t poison the water supplies in the human world. It''s not written but is what you may call ethics. On top of that when queen Atalanti died the Council was scared by our king''s dominance. He was filled with rage and they were scared that if we came out winners from this war while he used his powers he would come after them next since they didn''t help us even though they were supposed to be our allies. We always had to deal with hunters and other supernatural creatures outside the Veil since we were at the border of one of the most popular and magically strong portals. We never had asked for their help though, only that time we did and they rejected us. When the queen died, the only one who could restrain her son they had to do something. So they voted this law, they even banished the elf representative from the council, they made sure that we would suffer so many loses that we wouldn''t have time to deal with them. They hadn''t calculated though that our king would end up dying, a genocide began right after and they had to enforce a treaty. It was too late though." The small elf, who was always good with politics and history explained. Unaware about all of this Alexander looked at Allias. His eyes were burning as anger slowly started to show on his face. He had been wronged in so many ways, he had lost almost everything and even now he kept fighting. Alexander noticed how Theseus placed his palm on his shoulder and smiled at him.


    "It''s over now. The only thing we can do is fight to change things." He encouraged him and the King took a deep breath.


    Alexander couldn''t take his eyes from them and as he walked he almost tripped at a root that had escaped the ground. Ares caught him, bringing him back to his feet. Embarrassed the wolf mumbled a thank you and Ares smiled at him. Alexander would begin to change; he already knew that. His body already felt slightly heavier, foreign as if it wasn''t his own. He would need to start excursing more to be able to keep control of his power or else his bones would start to break and the pain would be unbearable. He had to make everything different and adapt as fast as he could to help Luke. The pack must be a mess now, he thought and the council would definitely pay them a visit, always keen on enhancing the chaos. He had to be there for him. Just like Theseus. He was so wise, he stood next to Allias with such pride and always did everything he could to protect him, to advise him. The elf king was a bright light and the general was the shadow that followed him always, not minding not being in the spotlight since he had already a place where it mattered the most. In Allias'' heart and side.


    "I want to be like you. You have to teach me." Alexander said to Theseus with the most decisive look he had ever worn. His eyes were glued on the general and the man frowned, confused.


    "What?" he asked and Allias chuckled, instantly understanding what the teenager meant.


    "Teach me."


    "Teach you what?" he asked again.


    "How to be you"


    "Did you hit your head or something back there?" Theseus asked him and Alexander sighed. He had no other way of saying it. He was embarrassed already as it was and the boy looked at Allias with pleading eyes, hoping he would explain.


    "He wants to learn how to be an advisor Theseus. Be by Luke''s side." Allias explained and Theseus'' lips formed an o as he finally understood. He stopped walking at scanned the teen wolf from head to toe with a frown. Alexander averted his gaze feeling overly exposed and rubbed the back of his neck as he heard the general sigh.


    "That is quite impossible." Theseus resulted and Alexander looked at him heartbroken.


    "And why is that?" he asked, wanting to hear an explanation.


    "First of all you need to know about politics, strategy and…"


    "You don''t even do that stuff, I do it." Allias said and looked at his lover with a grin.


    "I did it while you were dead so shut it for a second honey will you?"


    "I did it while the king was dead." Ea cut in and looked at the general with a judgmental look.


    "Well then! You need to at least know about those things even if you might not end up doing them." Theseus corrected himself while everyone''s eyes were on him. "Second of all you need to not look weak. Like you do, people need to be scared of you, then they will be scared to threaten your king, in your case your Alpha. Third of all you need to be ready to hear every single annoying whiny demand and be on the lookout all the time. And when I say everything I mean everything. Did the King wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? Is he grumpy? Does he want to burn an entire kingdom? You have to put up with it and stop him without hurting his ego." Theseus said and looked at Allias with a grin before he turned serious. "And lastly kid, you have to be ready to kill even the people you love to protect him. If you love him that is and you are too soft to do that. You can pat Luke on the shoulder and offer him one of those innocent smiles of yours but I don''t think you can go any further." He said and Alexander for a second looked completely devastated. He did not expect Theseus to be so brutally honest.


    "It just takes time." Allias said and patted Alexander''s head. "It takes time to form a bond like that where you can calm the other with just a touch. It''s a good thing though that you do have plenty of time isn''t it?" he said with a reassuring smile and Alexander nodded. "Just think of what you truly want to do? Do you want to be like Theseus or be the best version of yourself? I don''t think that Luke needs someone like him but I am quite sure that he needs you, Alexander. You just have to get a bit stronger not only physically but mentally. That''s all. So don''t get discouraged." Allias advised him, making the teen smile.


    "So you asked me to listen to Allias." Theseus mumbled offended and soon their steps brought them to the end of the forest. The compound was clear after they passed a few trees and Alexander''s heart began to race.


    "He does have a way with words." Ares said and the King smiled before he turned to his lover.


    "I did not know that your work was so hard having to serve such a grumpy king. Maybe you need a vacation. An infinite one" he told him and sped up his pace. Leaving his general behind.


    "No, my love wait I was just…" Theseus called out and followed him. Alexander did not pay any attention though.


    He saw Luke, sitting all alone dressed in black at the entrance, in those dusty marble stairs. His face was hidden and he began running desperately wanting to be next to him. When he heard his footsteps Luke raised his face, revealing his swollen eyes, and the traces of his tears. Alexander stopped in front of him, panting.


    "I am here. I am here now." He said.


    Luke looked at him for a second, he bit his bottom lip as tears gathered again on his silver eyes.


    "Daniel is dead. Alexander please, help me." He cried, desperate.