Once Bitten *On Hiatus*

𝕾𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞 𝕿𝖜𝖔

• 𝓚𝓲𝓽𝓮 •

My father didn't visit me often. When I was first starting as the face of South District, he made sure that I knew my place. Knew that I was to be exactly like what he wanted. I wasn't allowed to be nice to the sheep. It would show weakness, and in turn, would make him look weak. He made it clear that if I ever messed up, he wouldn't show me any mercy, even if I was his son.

My first fuck up was my last. He spent days showing me just how worthless I was. Just how underqualified I was in being the face of South District. But in the end, he made me feel like I could do better. That he'd give me one more chance. Because if I fucked that up...he didn't have a use for me anymore.

So when he stepped into my office, all of my muscles stiffened.

Thankfully, no one else was in the office with me at the time. He didn't look happy, and if Luca or Noah were there, there was no telling what he would have done to them. When he was in this kind of a mood, it was better to steer clear.

"I half expected a thank you," he said, remaining by the closed door.

He wasn't keeping his distance to make me feel better.

I didn't speak. He didn't expect it, nor would he want it.

He glanced around my office, taking in everything. His eyes missed nothing. Moved furniture. Added photos. Small scratches on wood. Little twitches of nerves. Breathing changes.

"I changed Mae," he said, like I hadn't already known. "You should be thankful I didn't let your...lover...die."

I clenched my jaw, staring at him as he continued to look around. He knew too much. I hadn't gone around telling people her and I slept together, and I knew neither Noah or Luca would tell him. He didn't think they were worth the effort of speaking to.

I leaned back in my chair, forcing myself to look relaxed.

"Though," he sighed, finally looking at me, "Zero's father requested her execution."

"For what," I asked, my voice calmer than I felt.

He smiled slightly, and a chill raced down my spine. I shouldn't have said anything. She was my weakness. The one thing that would get to me. Make me talk. And the fact that someone wanted her dead...

I couldn't handle her death again. I couldn't go through it all over again.

"Are you aware that she completely healed someone hours away from dying?" He tilted his head. "He went to check to see if she was alive, and lo and behold...she was healed. Up and walking. Like she wasn't just riddled with cancer hours before."

Ice settled over my body. I knew she was going out. I didn't know she was going to heal someone. Not so soon. No one had taught her how.

I knew I looked shocked. Horrified, even. And while showing any emotion around him was a bad idea, I couldn't help it.

"I'm almost inclined to agree with Doyle," he said, sighing. "Someone that powerful that soon in their years shouldn't be allowed to live."

I'd kill my father if he agreed to her execution. I would train my ass off harder than I ever had to be able to kill him. He changed her - for what, I still wasn't sure. I didn't believe for a second that he did it for me. The last time he did something nice for me was before the takeover and before the power got into his head from being a leader. It hadn't been for me. It hadn't been for Luca, or Noah, or even Seraph. His reasonings for everything that he did were purely selfish.

I gritted my teeth.

He looked me in the eyes. "Tell your little pet to reign herself in or I'll execute her myself. Do I make myself clear?"

I nodded once. Rage simmered beneath my skin. I hated my father. Hated that he knew that she was a weakness of mine, and had been even before she turned. He would continue to use that against me time and time again and I would continue to do as he asked because I would never willingly allow anyone to harm her. Not even him.

He watched me for a moment longer. "Zero is still being held until further notice."

Then he turned and left, and I was surprised he didn't push images of Mae being executed into my mind to solidify his threat. Normally, he would have. But maybe the images I conjured up in my mind were enough.

I understood Mae had no idea what she actually did when she healed someone to that magnitude. To heal someone of a scrape or a bruise was one thing. To heal someone of a disease hours away from killing someone was another. She hadn't even woken up that long ago as a vampire. There was no way that she should be able to do such a thing at the stage she was at. She should still be struggling to get a handle on her thirst, not fucking healing people of cancer.

I let out a long breath and ran my hands over my face.

As if summoned by my stress, Luca and Noah came into my office.

"Titus is speaking with Seraph down the hall," Luca said.

Of course he was. I just hoped Seraph could keep a lid on his emotions long enough to not allow my father to know that she was his weakness as well. Him knowing she was my weakness was one thing. Knowing without a doubt that she was Seraph's?

Seraph didn't care about anyone or anything. Except for Mae. Spending so much time with the two of them was the only way I could tell that for sure. He looked at her differently. Touched her differently. The only reason why he spent any time with us at all was because of her. Otherwise, I doubted he could bring himself to give a shit.

I nodded slowly. "Do we know where Mae is?"

Noah shook his head. "Last I heard, you gave her the okay to go out. Why? What's wrong?"

'Care to explain why your shit for brains father is telling me to watch Mae closely?' Seraph's voice was angry in my head. 'And why he's fucking threatening her?'

He already knew. He already knew Mae was Seraph's weakness. Because of course he did. He had eyes and ears everywhere. Why would I think for one second that even if I didn't tell him, someone else wouldn't?

In the beginning, I thought that people were turning their backs on my father. I thought people were acting out due to Doyle, or someone else who wanted to reign. But it became so clear in those moments.

No one was turning their backs on my father. All of this...everything I hadn't been informed of regarding Mae or even the little things within the district...it had been my father. He was always ten steps ahead, even when I didn't know my next step. So, no...no one was turning their backs on my father.

They were turning their backs on me and me alone.