Chapter 48 - Impromptu Pep Talk

The strokes. 

Lacing and overlapping each other. Two symbols that were used for the design. Alpha and Omega. Resembling an ancient symbol. 

The Triquetra. 

While other people might not recognize it instantly, it was impossible not to be noticed by someone who had drowned himself deep enough in this old unsolvable case. 

'Smart.' Derek thought sullenly. 

The strokes were similar in color as the dark handle of the dagger. They simply acted as decorations to those who didn't know, but Derek knew it was more than that. Instead of yelling out loud like 'Hey! Looks like we are on the same side!', they could merely flash their signature dagger and the other would get the hint. 

The golden-eyed Alpha was still holding the dagger by it's blade, letting his sweethea-- cough!-- Lynn take a look at it closely. He was watching the variety of expressions on the younger Alpha's face. When he frowned and finally contorted, Derek knew it right away. 

Of course, Lynn would recognize it right away. 

This investigation had caused him to lose his beloved little brother. Blasted in an explosion until there was nothing left to collect but dust. Derek could sense the pheromones rolling out from Lynn, tight and angry below the surface of his skin, somehow sending chills down Derek's back. 

"Casp--" 

"Wait! I saw that before!" Zeke suddenly jumped right in, looking from his dad to uncle, causing Lynn to wince back and pull his pheromones back in control before whirling around to face Zeke. 

"What?" Lynn growled. "Where had you seen it?" 

Zeke scratched the back of his head with his uninjured hand, the other one had been wrapped like a bundle by Lynn. The sudden attention he was receiving made him try to cower. "Remember that day? At the bar? uhhh… I was stabbed?" 

He gulped when no response was given. Zeke sighed, closing his eyes and crossed his arms over his ċhėst, trying to gain some confidence. "The dagger. Bar owner attacked me with that. It was embedded in me. Since i'm trying not to ruin the situation and get my handsome face smacked for flirting too much at the beauty in front of me--" 

"Ahem." 

"All right, all right, so I spent the last minute tracing and studying the lines on the handle?"

"From the bar owner?" Lynn was still frowning. 

Zeke nodded slowly, looking from Lynn to Derek. 

"Didn't he disappear right after that incident?" The oldest Alpha asked quietly. 

"More or less." Lynn said bitterly. 

"W-- Wait, wait!" Zeke cutted in. "Are you saying he had been running around killing innocent people?" 

Derek sighed. "We wouldn't know for sure. There might be a lot of rats running around with the same dagger. Lynn, let's head over the station right away, maybe we could badger them enough to speed up the fingerprint identification. This is not a lot to go on, but it's better than nothing." 

"What about me?" 

"Huh?" 

Zeke pointed at himself. "What can I do to help? I want to do something, anything-- you can't just leave me hanging like this--" Zeke frowned deeply and thought for a moment. "There's not much room in your plan for me, isn't there?" 

Derek gave him a weary look. "Son…" 

The Head of Roderick felt the old age weighing on him. He rubbed his temples tiredly. 

Zeke blinked at him. 

"I know how much you want to help. But don't try to fool me with that facade. You are trying to unreveal the cause of your mother's death and I can sense that tiny bits of revenge lingering in your eyes." From the corner of his eyes, Derek could see a bitter smile on Lynn's face. 

"I know you are smart, intelligent even, I never doubt that. But right now, I want you to hang back. The game has yet to start, but when it does, I might need you by my side. They know you are my son, my successor. I can't have you injured again. Getting stabbed isn't something you should be proud of." 

Derek continued. "Opening all your cards and flashing them towards your enemy in the early game will only lead us to our downfall. I do have plans for you later but not right now. No one is going to play fair and I can't have you dead before the game even starts. So I want you to take it easy. When I need you, I will let you know. Do you understand me?" 

Zeke's response was amazing and Derek let himself get immersed in it. There was pride in his eyes and also happiness. 

"Wow…" Was the only word that came out from Zeke's mouth after Derek's long hearted speech. A pause before he continued. "I never knew you had it in you, old man. Do you have the whole speech prepared and written?" 

The old man in the room felt a tick in his head. Damned brat. He almost sounded proud of himself for giving such an impromptu pep talk. 

"Anyway, Lynn," Derek started. "Can you move the appointment with the 'self-pretentious prick' much earlier? The faster the better." He shivered in disgust. 

Lynn snorted, but nodded determinedly. "Of course, My Lord. Leave it to me." 

"Good. And now you, why are you still here? Why are you not training? Hold a sec-- Aren't you supposed to be in class?!" 

"Me? I'm injured." Zeke said innocently. 

The older Roderick spluttered. "Where-- where in the hell are the injuries, besides the one in your head?" He gestured wildly with his arms all over the younger man. 

Zeke raised his injured hand. Indeed it was just a small nick, but Lynn had wrapped the bandage all over his injured digit down to his wrist and repeated the action, creating a stump. Zeke couldn't even wiggle his fingers freely inside the bundle. 

"Ah, my bad. I am terrified he might have caused more damage to it," Lynn said sheepishly, blushing as he scratched his cheek with his finger. Zeke was like a son to him and he couldn't really resist himself from babying him even though he was a grown man. In his eyes, Zeke was still a baby no matter what. 

"See? This is a battle wound," Zeke concluded proudly. "And the damage in my head, probably genes." 

"You punk--" 

"Actually," Lynn interrupted suddenly, cutting off their glaring contest. "Young master, I could use your help." 

Lynn knew he was going to feel guilty for playing Zeke like this, especially when he was suddenly bombarded with such happiness and giddiness from the younger Roderick. Whether he regretted it or not, the outcome would determine it for him.. So now, he would just settle with ruffling his baby's hair and smile along.