When the dragons had left Lisa sighed in relief. Her shoulder sank into their normal relaxed position as the tension left her body. Mark observed the changes with a frown.

'Why were you so tense?' he asked straight to the point and forced her eyes to hold his gaze she instinctively tried to avert.

'It is not my place to be relaxed around council-members or their heirs. It is even a stretch to behave like this around you. But I don't think you will hold my manners against me.' she explained seemingly on her guard again. Like a subordinate answering her superior not a stepmother her son. Mark's frown deepened.

'Why all of sudden? Yesterday you still were my mother and today you are answering me as if I was some VIP.' he asked in a hurt tone.

Lisa sighed. 'You have completed your merging; your eyes have changed. A full-fledged phoenix. The period of grace the Teine-clan has allowed is concluded. I was informed that my relationship with you was too close. How did they put it? You were distracted from bonding with your own clan due to my subversive tendencies. The moment the merging is done I am to distance myself from you to elevate you of the burden of breaking the bond yourself. Otherwise, my clan would be subjected to severe repercussions and I would be removed from your life. Permanently.'

'How do they dare?! Who of these arrogant bastards had the nerve to actually threaten you?' Mark cried in a voice that barely resembled any tone a human throat could possibly produce. Spark danced around his whole body and the feathers that had replaced his hair erected threateningly. The phoenix wanted to take over and eliminate whoever threatened the person he loved like a mother.

'Calm down.' Lisa said her hands held up in front of her, as if to calm a spooking horse. 'There is no use in burning down both the university and the bridges with your clan. You will have to deal with them for the next centuries. It is not worth to fight them over me. I will be gone in a few decades either way.'

'Don't ever say anything like that ever again. Every minute spend with you is worth a century with that clan of assholes.' Mark said in his inhuman voice, clearly on the verge of transforming completely. But the glint of fear, that had appeared in Lisa's eyes kept him from doing so. He knew she feared for him not him. Even though his anger had not dissipated another feeling surfaced and took the lead. Desperation.

Before getting to know the caring way, Merlin and Miriam looked after their exhausted clan-members, he simply thought all major-clans were arrogant and indifferent towards their members, regarding them as pawns or assets. But right now, he had seen all council-members and their heirs.

Especially the dragons had been protective towards their own, but even the cold-hearted vampire-king had put an arm around his daughter's shoulders, making her standing slightly behind him every time he would be more aggressive, shielding her subconsciously. The sphinx-king even more so. His son reciprocated his behaviour by mimicking his stance and mannerism on the same subconscious level. They definitely shared a deep bond of mutual trust.

His clan on the other hand didn't even invited him to come over, leaving him to face any possible threat alone. Yet even among Jordan and his son was a tangible tension. Crossed arms, slightly turned away from each other. No clear spokesman. No non-verbal support when the other spoke. If Morgan had to interrogate any of the clans his would be the easiest to break apart.

And such an inhomogeneous clan had the gall to tell him to break up his only stable bond? Worse to threaten his stepmother to part with him. To make her feel guilty for hindering him from entering the clan's unity. Which unity? A dry laugh escaped his mouth. At this point it was either laughing at the absurdity or crying about the sheer stupidity this so-called king mustered.

How could any intelligent person be so blind? Trying to rope him into his inner circle by force and threatening the ones he cared about? How could he seriously expect anyone to willingly follow his orders if he did so? Mark knew he would always look for the first chance to defy or undermine this tyrant’s plans. No wonder Jenny could not muster enough trust to tell him what she was about to do to him. All she knew was force and oppression. Thankfully she educated Joline differently. She clearly didn't like her father's oppressive ways, neither did her mother nor her brother. But all of them maybe besides Amelie, who was more than a little manipulative, were too afraid to stand up against their king openly. This swine had indirectly threatened to kill Lisa.

He would retaliate for that provocation. But first of all, he had to consolidate his position. Lisa was right storming of in anger would only be detrimental to his long-time-goal. Being free of Jordan Teine. He had several options to do so. Fleeing or taking over were but two of them.

Now he would start with trying to patch up his relationship with Jenny. He simply couldn't give up on his life-partner on a deep instinctual level, that grew in importance since concluding his merging, today. Next, he would try to gather possible allies. Inside and outside his clan. This investigation offered the ideal way to do so. Mark had predominantly Morgan, Rhiannon and maybe the heirs of the sphinxes in mind. Possibly even Merlin, who would work as a supervisor. But that was only speculation right now, as he had to advance cautiously.

That led directly to his two most important points right now first keeping Lisa and her clan safe by seemingly following that assholes orders and keep his distance, whilst secretly doing the opposite. And second getting near to the clan-head, being a trusted-aid and learning as much as possible, whilst gathering enough power to break free in the end.

'You look like you are concocting a plan. A sinister one, judging from your expression. Promise me to be cautious. Jordan Teine plays this game since the beginning of the 17th century when he followed his father, who died under suspicious circumstances...' Lisa told him worriedly

'Wait didn't you tell me the phoenix-clan was the best clan to enter for me? That doesn't really sound like you still think it's the case.' Mark asked his stepmother, who looked devastated at her own faux-pas.

'At that point of time it did look like that. You have to know the dragons, though caring is highly hierarchical, there is no way to move up the ranks if you power-class does not back. Even though they protect every member, regardless its position in the hierarchy, they expect the same loyalty from their subjects. Lesser dragons often die as cannon fodder, willingly but nonetheless. They never force anyone; their community is so compelling that most don't even think about declining suicide missions. And I know how often Miriam sends her sons to the front-lines... Something I can't possibly like as a mother... leading by example... admirable, but still...

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The sphinx-clan is an unknown variable. They are like a monastery. It feels like they keep their members from speaking and interacting with outsiders. Just like a cult. I don't know how they treat their own, but they are very strict in their guidelines. Known to punish those who don't comply... Merlin told me after very disturbing case that the merging creates an obsessive streak that leads to some near autistic behaviour in sphinxes.

The vampires... I don't even want to start. They are essentially serial killers due to their diet. Ruthless, cold-blooded and virtually able to over corpses. Shortly after your parents murder the council did saw it fit to revoke their mandate to provide the commissioner. They handed it to the Teines. Something they see as a personal affront... they take everything personally. A narcissistic streak seems to be mutual in this clan.

On the other hand, your clan has a questionable leader but every time I dealt with them, they were perfectly reasonable and polite. I really thought I knew them. I was wrong. All I can do know is to hope I haven't ruined your life.' she justified her actions tears glistening in her eyes. Seeing this Mark put his arms around his stepmother and pulled her closer. Embracing her for the first time since his transformation out of his own initiative. Birds-of-prey were not as sociable as humans and wolves it seemed.

'Hush. Don't cry it was never your decision to make. Only mine. I decided to date Jenny. To love and marry her. Even if you had been allowed to inform me about my choices, I would have never chosen any of the major-clans and if forced I would still have chosen Jenny. Nothing that happened is your fault. You are the best mother I could ever dream of, disregarding my own, who you always talked about as if she had been a saintess.' he consoled her, worried not to be able to find the right words to make her understand his point. She only chuckled in response, tears still flowing down her cheeks. The time to come would be hard on both of them. Not to be able to see each other on daily basis.

After a while they went to Lisa's car. She would take him home since they had been left alone. Mark sighed as he knew it would be their last ride together for some time.

'Let's head to my house first. I'll make us some tea. I want to tell you something I should have told a long time ago.' Lisa suddenly said as they were in her car. Mark nodded, enjoying the agreeable silence. They had spent many an evening like this listening to music, saying nothing. His mother had always said most when she didn't say a word. Some things were Mark sighed just too unbelievable to put them in words. It took him three months after his parents’ murder to talk normally again. As if the sheer horror had robbed him all the words that had been so easy before.

Lisa wanted to talk about that day. He knew it on a very basic level, that was why she took him home. To the kitchen and its old fireplace. The one and only place he truly ever felt safe. He had never told her about the reappearance of his nightmares. They haunted him every night since he moved out. Worst of all they were no mere nightmares but memories. Memories of that day.

When they entered the house, he had grown up in since he had been eight, the house Lisa's late parents had left her, they followed their well-known ritual. Putting the key on the key hook, Lisa always checked every room if something was odd or out of place. A slightly paranoid rite but it had been necessary to reassure Mark in the years after that day.

After all it had been his home where they had awaited them. Returning from the summer holidays. Talking about the beach they had just left and the friends he wanted to invite for his birthday in the following week. Random images flickered through his mind. His little suitcase blue with dolphins, his favourite animal at that time, sprinkled with blood. The dead eyes of his mother, when he could finally leave his hiding place in the big wardrobe, where she had sent me hiding, when we heard the noises, once so lively, now broken and lifeless. The sound of slashes he had thankfully never seen. The vase with his mother’s dried bridal bouquet, broken on the floor. The metallic smell of blood. And something like a dog. Then Lisa who took him into her arms, protecting him. As always since that day.

'You have recalled it already, haven't you?' Lisa asked as she turned the kettle on and prepared two cups with tea bags.

'Why do you even ask?' he answered with a shrug.

'I want to tell you, why I have been at your house. You have never asked, though I know you have asked yourself. I guess you have always feared what I might answer.' she sighed and looked at the kettle's thermostat. 'We were sent there. Our clan was sent there to murder all three of you. At that time the Tepez did so quite often. To silence political enemies, journalists, on the verge of discovering the clan's existence. The old Alpha, my predecessor, my uncle, the one who had murdered my parents and turned me, was quite keen on doing the vampires' dirty work. It was well-paid. Free hearts for all. I had already argued in previous cases and never participated, but I was too weak to stand up against him in a duel. I guess he knew I would end his life one day. He always called me 'My demise'. That day the cases folder lay on our kitchen table and I saw your photo. An eight-year-old, the same age I had been, when he killed my parents. This day I tried to hinder them not only verbally but physically. But all he did was laughing and locking me in my room. I knew I had to break free. I did but it took me too long. Your parents were already dead and he had found your hiding place, he actually knew all the time where you were. Found it funny to make you watch. Sadist he was. The moment I arrived I formally challenged him in his position as Alpha. The only way to stop them... I won by hair's breadths. Called the police afterwards. Took you with me. My son, that's what you were to me the moment I saw you. I would have turned you myself, but due to you being of druid-blood, you were far too precious for any of the minor-clans, much less becoming a werewolf. The council was more than clear regarding that one.' Lisa concluded her tale, taking a sip from her tea, she had brewed whilst talking.

Mark simply nodded. Overwhelmed by what he just had heard. 'You think the Tepez commissioned my parents murder, but I guess you neither have proof nor you think it wise to confront them.' Mark summarized the facts. He had always known, that Lisa had saved his life that day, right now he simply got to know the circumstances.

'Yes. I just wanted to warn you. The vampires are not to be trusted. Not under any circumstances.' Lisa told him and underlined her words with big gestures.

'Okay. I will remember that. All of it actually. Thank you for saving my life and being my mother.' Mark answered honestly.

'You are welcome, my son.' Lisa smiled relieved of a heavy burden; she had carried far too long.

Mark remembered how many times people had thought of her as his older sister, not his stepmother. She had been only 21 when she had adopted him and taken over the clan. Not a simple task for anyone. She had grown through the challenge.

They talked quite a while before Lisa drove him to the city mansion. Mark had a lot to think about and a relationship to patch up and save.

After today he could finally forgive Jenny and understand her actions. He was finally in peace with his decision on marrying her. For the first time since his transformation, he smiled as he exited the car and waved at Lisa, when she drove away. Today felt like a new beginning. The end of his confinement. The first day to put his plan in motion.