REBELLION

Virgil woke up suddenly from a strange dream.

Lately, maybe because he had been thinking so much about their plans. Along with what careful steps were necessary to reach their objective and get all of them out of it alive, he had been dreaming more and more often about his younger brother.

Can he really think that I disowned him? That I'm like Dad!? Virgil said in his mind, loud enough to hear a sleepy voice inside his head answering him with a yawn.

Well, you didn't even bother to tell him he was wrong, did you? Kodan lazily expressed as he stretched the boredom away.

"At that moment, I was in complete disbelief. I really didn't know what to do, or say. And when I finally tried to reach him, he had completely blocked me, not only on the mindlink but in all the electronic ways, too. If that was not a clear 'leave me alone, I hate you', then I don't know what else that was…"

You both have too much of a hard time talking to each other. If you stopped trying to protect him like a pup, and he stopped idolizing you, then maybe...

"Idolizing? Dude, he yelled at me that I was like dad… I mean, that can never be a compliment coming from him, you know?"

Not just to you, bro. But Eron really looked up to both of you, your father and you despite everything. I can't believe I have to tell you this about your own little brother. How is it possible that you didn't ever notice that?"

"I don't know, bro… Damn, forgive me for being that distracted!"

Virgil had been hugging his mate for all that while. His embrace became more and more tight to the point where she woke up and turned to him worriedly.

"Hey… What happened? Are you okay?" Helena anxiously asked as she tried to check on him while attempting to get out of his killer embrace.

"Oh, good morning, beautiful. Yeah, everything is okay. Why do you ask?"

"Because I woke up unable to breathe…" she side-looked at him with narrowed eyes, knowing better.

Virgil was obviously making an effort to look alright but not succeeding at that. And Helena was not about to let it go unnoticed either.

"Oh, I'm really sorry, baby. Did I hurt you?"

"Nah, I'm okay now that I can get some air in my lungs. But you? Come on, now. Tell me the truth."

He let out a sigh, turning towards his side of the bed until he was finally sitting on the edge of it. "I can never get away without you noticing, can I?"

"Not really, no. At least, not under normal conditions. You are my mate, after all, V."

"I'm worried about Eron. There. I said it."

"Oh…"

"What?" the blond Alpha asked while he turned towards her.

"Well… I knew that already. For a good while… actually. Like for a few years now."

"Oh…" he looked down and turned once more, almost ready to get out of bed. "I wish it was that obvious for him, as well."

"I can tell him, you know? I don't really like to get between you two, but I think this time you both are too hard-headed to talk again without some sort of assistance."

She got out of the bed sheets and crawled towards him, hugging him from behind with arms and legs. Helena warmed up his bare back with her breasts while dropping soft, small kisses on his neck.

"I only wanted to do it on my own, Helena. I've tried more than once to reach him… I truly think he would appreciate it more if it came from me directly. Knowing him, he might think that whoever might help him is pushing me to contact him," Virgil remarked as he took one of her hands and started to play with her long, thin fingers, kissing it now and then.

Despite this, V was not showing any sign of feeling better.

With a bitter smile, he looked back, and told her, "I'm gonna take a shower, wanna join me?"

"Sure! I'll… hmm… I'll go to you in a minute, ok? I need to check my messages before I join you."

"Okay," the lightly bearded husband nodded after a few seconds, suspicion in his blue eyes. "I'll see you there."

He got up, immediately feeling how the fresh breeze of the morning suddenly took the place of his wife's warm body. The anxious Alpha walked to the large, black-tiled bathroom, alone.

Right then, a memory tickled at the back of his mind.

"How could I be like father? If Eron only knew… But it was never my place to tell him, anyway."

+++

Years before…

The afternoon turned into night before there was a sign of Virgil at the packhouse.

His father, who, proud and angry, refused to go to the meeting that he was supposed to attend. He had locked himself in the Alpha's office, which was, technically, no longer his. Henkjan then waited impatiently for his oldest son, who had been, more than certainly, purposefully not answering his messages on his phone and even blocked his mindlink. Virgil had made sure that his enraged dad had no way to contact him.

Had the previous Alpha just checked through the window, he would have noticed that his eldest's limo was now parked in front of the packhouse garage for hours already. His driver had even retired for the day by then.

Had he checked, Henkjan would have realized that Virgil's ride was not even in the garage for the same amount of hours that his car was.

Once the meeting with Hero had finished, their friend and now, who was almost a vital member of a large and growing crime organization, had agreed for Eron to stay with him for the time being. Virgil then returned to the packhouse in the same rush that he left earlier following the brother he didn't want to let go of.

Hurriedly, the older brother went to Eron's room and packed what he thought would be the most necessary for his brother to have. Besides a few things that Eron directly pointed out to Virgil that he will need, he even secretly placed a few thousand dollars at the very bottom of the large bag, to help the youngest Camden in case he needed added finances while he decided what he wanted to do next.

Virgil even planned, with a smirk, what he would say if Eron protested or asked about the cash. "I found that in your room. I don't know why you had it there," He thought while rephrasing his statement until it seemed like a natural enough answer.

As soon as V had everything he needed, he left again, feeling the constant vibrating of his mobile phone, and the also insistent push inside the back of his head. After the final talk with Hero and his brother, the newly positioned Alpha then returned home after such an eventful day. He crossed the packhouse's threshold a brand-new man.

He was now different from the one who made great efforts for a father who didn't seem to care anymore. He now viewed himself who didn't just agree to what he was told but would decide for himself what was best despite being seen as someone who has irreparably broken their family ties by his narrow-minded patriarch.

Yes, Virgil now was proud that he had chosen to be very different from what his father expected of him...

If Henkjan had a few words to exchange with Virgil, his eldest son now had even more things to tell him than he could have ever imagined.

"I see. You finally decided to face me," Henkjan said from the corner that had always been his favorite spot in that office. "I've been waiting for you for hours already."

"Save it. I have no explanations to give," Virgil interrupted, even before he had barely walked in and closed the heavy double doors behind him. "I just need to inform you that I will be taking, as of this moment, your place in the SilverClaw Enterprise. The fact that you neglected today's meeting without a reason shows how you're no longer fit to take care of this company."

"Just who the hell do you think you are to come in here and tell me such a thing? You insolent brat..."

"I am Alpha Virgil Camden of the SilverClaw pack. I am also, from this moment on, the head of the Camden Clan, and the new CEO of SilverClaw Enterprises. Unless, of course, you would rather take the matter to a board of investors, aka, the Pack Elders."

Virgil barely blinked as he spoke. He held his head tall, his jaw tight and his dark blue eyes sending fire towards the man he once respected and loved immensely.

Henkjan huffed. "What matter could you take to anybody that would make them choose you over me?"

"Well, let's start with the way you poorly handled the visitors that we were supposed to meet to take care of the company's expansion. I am making you directly responsible for every single penny that we won't receive, every job and position that we will not be able to open for the members of our pack just because of your whimsical personality."

"That… that's not true! I had to fix things here at home!"

"Oh, really now? WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SUPPOSEDLY FIX? My brother has LEFT US because of YOU! My mother is GONE as well, FOR THE SAME DAMN REASON! And it's ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!" Virgil let out lividly but without losing himself to his rising rage. "The proposed business wasn't signed because of you. WHAT DID YOU DO ALL THAT TIME? YOU SAT ON YOUR SORRY ASS WAITING FOR ME TO GET BACK HERE TO SCOLD ME LIKE A CHILD!"

Henkjan's face got red and instantly felt himself heating up. He wanted to be angry and forced himself to feel that way. His son could not be right.

Could never be right about these things!

The only thing he had been caring for was the greater good of his role. The best for the pack! He sacrificed everything for that! And yet…

And yet…

"You have no idea of what you're talking about, Virgil. Do whatever you want, you insolent, immature little asshole! Let's see how long it takes for you to throw away what our ancestors built."

"I can assure you; I won't do as much damage as you have presently done, father!"

"If that's what you think, then don't come to me crying for help when all this falls apart and vanishes in front of your eyes!"

"I can tell your words come from experience, Dad! Don't worry, I'll make sure not to commit your mistakes during my time as CEO. After all, a man who was an outstanding leader trained me. One who, sadly, died a long time ago."