Artifice - Man x Man - Book Six

Chapter 52

I would like to believe that it could be so simple that passing the torch from one to another with a simple blessing would be enough to relinquish control of something that needed a different approach than our current leader could provide. I could see his point of view, a free society falling in line behind a person who, in our time, was practically considered a dictator wasn't the easier pill to swallow. 

I had wondered which side would be accepted, and how would these civilians respond to an approach that, at times, was rather harsh and unyielding. What caused us to thrive in our time might not stand in this one yet they seemed to stare at him as if he had lost his mind in the same way that I'm sure they stared at him when he killed his own father for a chance to rule. 

Johnathan had been the most outspoken, for following a 'child' was not on his agenda, let alone the idea of following anyone. These people were spoiled with their freedoms, they didn't know what awaited them as soon as they revealed their true identities to the public and the horrors of what the government intended to do to them. 

It didn't take much to put two and two together that a full-scale breeding program was potentially in the works with the success of Marisol's insemination. What they intended to do with their lycans was anyone's guess, but if history had any merit, humanity's cruelty knew no bounds. 

While assurances ran high, I could see the reluctance in the faces of people who looked just like ordinary people. Blinded by the lust for a new army, I had seen a handful of soldiers so easily. Now, looking at them sitting before me in their borrowed clothes, I saw scared people of a variety of ages who knew nothing of what we were asking of them. 

Now, we wanted them to follow an admittedly inexperienced leader to their deaths while one of the only tested people bowed out. Verando would follow me, leaving Helen behind to run things as I made my tour to France. This seemed to be the sticking point of following the new successor.

These people had little reason to have faith in him, little reason to have confidence in any of us. We were telling them things that made little sense, propaganda for all it was worth in their minds. But, their options were slim. It was to join us or be cast out to their deaths or inevitable capture. 

They had no ability to control the wolf, no ability to harness what was beginning to happen to them as they came to terms with their new selves. As much as their human side might wish to leave, the wolf clung to the one true leader that they knew and that was my supposed husband.

 But, as he stated later that night when we finally managed some privacy from prying eyes, no one would ever be pleased with his retirement, but following me meant he needed to make a decision. We could not drag a pack after us once more, he wouldn't make that mistake again. 

Until we left for France, he would continue to train Helen, and I would continue to train Tyler. In a short month, we would need to make a move to save Fergus, but for now, this was the path we were on. We were maintaining, and putting measures into place that would keep systems running here when we took our departure. 

In reality, we were preparing our family for a life without us as it was something our past family had been denied. There was no guarantee we would return from France, no promise that there was a world to return to even. 

Helen would be the leader whether they liked it or not, and truly they should be grateful for Helen over Legardo. 

As much as it killed me, I did offer for Verando to stay. But somehow, it felt wrong, and we both agreed his place was by my side in this last attempt to bring peace to this crumbling planet. The next day is spent in the throws of political warfare, a thing that I find I still thrive in.