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“Look there, my boy.” The monochromatic clown pointed a clawed finger down at a couple who had been wondering around the carnival.
The father-son duo sat atop a near by building that gave them a wonderful view of the lively circus ground below.
Lance leaned forward slightly, his silver eyes sifted through all the different people in an attempt to follow his father’s finger.
“There?” The raven haired boy pointed to the couple, who were now in - what appeared to be - a rather nasty fight.
“Yes,” Jack replied and place a firm hand onLance’s shoulder, “you are a young man now, a young alpha, and I need to make sure I’ve taught you well.”
“I’m 13, father,” Lance snarked, “but what does that mean?”
Lj did not reply. He instead snapped his clawed fingers, causing the two to teleport from the roof top to the circus tent the couple resided by.
They re-appeared with a puff of black smoke and glitter. Lance instinctively cowered behind Lj, afraid that the crowd may see them.
“They cannot see us, Lance,” Jack reminded, “they only perceive us when I command of it.”
“Oh,” the pale boy nervously laughed, “right.”
The alpha of the couple in front of them suddenly tugged his omega to a more private area of the carnival. He was clearly embarrassed to have had such a public outburst and wished to continue it without an audience.
The clown followed them, guiding his son along with him.
“Father, what is this about?”
“Watch, my boy,” Lj placed his clawed hands on Lance’s shoulders, “you see how he talks to his mate?”
“….yeah,” Lance eyed his father, unsure of what his motive was, “what, uh, what about it?”
“An alpha is to never speak to his mate in such a manner,” Jack elaborated, his tone serious yet angry.
Lance found it rather amusing that his father, the murderous immortal being that he is, was so upset at an alpha for yelling at his mate.
The couple continued fighting. Though it was more the omega cowering and enabling while the alpha threatened him.
It was only when the omega was harshly shoved against the wall that Laughing Jack had had enough.
With a simple flick of his clawed fingers a string of black smoke emerged from his fingers. As it his the ground it solidified and began slithering over to the man in a snake like fashion.
It stoped behind the man’s exposed calf before lunging. A quick yet harsh bite before evaporating into thin air.
The alpha yelped and spun around, only to regret the action when his injured leg gave out from underneath him.
“Will he be ok?” Lance worried
“Worry not my boy,” Lj led him away from the scene, “ that was a warning bite, he will be fine.”
Jack snapped his inky black fingers, taking the two from the ground back up to their place on the roof top.
“But his leg didn’t work!”
“It is only temporary, Lance” Jack continued reassuring, “he will regain feeling in a few days.”
“A few days?! Isn’t that kind of mean, father?”
Laughing Jack scoffed,
“Absolutely not,” he held out his hand to Lance, “come now, we must head home. Your mother’s probably getting worried.”
The boy hesitantly took the clowns hand. In less than a second the world around them morphed into a hellish land scape.
It looked the same as the realm above, however the carnival now had attractions that seemed…..torturous in nature.
The sky went from the dark night to a deep maroon that permanently painted it.
Jack and Lance started their journey away from the carnival and into the deep, dark woods.
“What exactly were you trying to teach me up there?” Lance broke the silence, the sound of crunching leaves and twigs snapping rang from under his feet.
“Proper alpha etiquette. Son, if you ever find yourself a mate it is important you know these things.”
“These…..things?” Lance looked at his father with a quizzical expression, “what does that mean?”
“It means, should you ever yell, hit, shove, or mistreat your mate in any manner,” Jack’s expression darkened, “karma will find its way to you.”
“You kill people though,” Lance pointed out
“Yes, but those pests did not put all their trust into me,” Jack’s feathered rustled when he said “pests”, as though repulsed by the thought of them, “A mate, however, does. A mating bond signifies loyalty and love. Not resentment and repulsion.”
Lance stared at the ground below him, avoiding the jagged rocks that protruded from the bloody soil.
“I guess that makes sense,” Lance shrugged, “so, basically, don’t do anything to upset my mate?”
“Exactly,”
“Well, mother may not be too happy when he finds out you interfered with his realm, again.” Lance grinned
Laughing Jack stopped walking, his face a mixture between realization and contemplation.
“I suppose we shouldn’t tell him that part. Let’s just say I took you hunting in my carnival, yes?”
Lance couldn’t help but laugh. His father towered over his mother yet seemed so intimidated by his rage.
The dilapidated manor slowly came into sight. While it appeared abandoned and moments from collapsing on the outside, the interior was that of a Victorian manor.
Lance always found it facilitating when walking through the front door. The change so drastic yet welcome. Just goes to show how far his parent’s magic really goes.
“Remember, we never left my realm.” Laughing Jack muttered before rounding the corner to greet Jeff.
Lance fondly rolled his eyes, it didn’t matter if he did or didn’t tell. His mother always found out if someone has lied to him.
He strolled down the long hallway and into his brother’s room.
“It’s about time,” Layne sassed, “why were you gone for so long anyway?”
“Father took me hunting,” Lance replied as though it were obvious.
Layne eyed the other alpha suspiciously.
“Where at?”
“He will probably take you there tomorrow,” Lance sat on the ground by his brother’s bed, “you’ll just have to wait and see.”